PCB unlikely to take action against fixing accusers

Lahore, Aug 8 (ANI): The Pakistan Cricket Board is unlikely to take any legal action against former players who have voiced fears of players being involved in match-fixing during the ongoing tour of Sri Lanka.

PCB chairman Ijaz Butt had said he was consulting legal advisors to take action, but board insiders have ruled out any defamation suit against the former players.

The reports said this was not the first time former players had made such allegations of links of Pakistani players with bookmakers.

"Sarfaraz Nawaz first made match fixing allegations in 1987 and he is still doing the same so what has happened. It is difficult to differentiate between slander and a person's personal opinion and viewpoint," The Nation quoted the report, as saying.

The Pakistan board had earlier confirmed it had brought to the notice of the International Cricket Council an incident at the team hotel in Colombo where suspected bookies from India had tried to make contacts with the players.

Former chief selector Abdul Qadir and Sarfaraz have asked the government to hold an inquiry into the matter.

However, Pakistan team manager Yawar Saeed and coach Intikhab Alam have now denied any bookmakers had approached the players in Colombo.

The Pakistan coach made it clear that while he welcomed healthy criticism over the poor performance of the team many of the former players' comments were self motivated and vindictive.

"How can anyone say any of our player(s) is involved in match fixing without evidence? Nothing sinister happened in Colombo; just a few fans approached our players for autographs and then invited them for tea and dinner. The manager immediately made it clear to the players to not accept such invitations," Alam said. (ANI)