Pakistani senators to launch probe into Oval fiasco

KARACHI, Oct 14 (Reuters) Pakistani cricket officials have been asked to appear before a Senate committee probing the Oval test fiasco and the controversy leading to the resignation of board chairman Shaharyar Khan.

Saleem Altaf, the Pakistan cricket board's director of cricket operations, said the meeting of the standing committee on sports would be held on OctOBER 30.

''They want to know what led to the Oval test incident and the resignation of Shaharyar last week,'' Altaf told Reuters today.

''The performances of the team will also come under discussion.'' Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq was banned for four matches at an International Cricket Council (ICC) hearing last month after refusing to continue play in the fourth test against England at the Oval.

He led a protest against the umpires' decision to change the ball and penalise Pakistan five runs for alleged ball-tampering.

The tampering charges were dropped by the ICC due to insufficient evidence.

Shaharyar admitted in a newspaper interview on Saturday that mistakes were made in the Oval fiasco.

He resigned after batsman Younis Khan relinquished the captaincy for the Champions Trophy in protest over the attitude of some board officials.

Younis was reinstated as captain by the new chairman Nasim Ashraf.

REUTERS PDS ND1410