Match Fixing News
 

Five cricketers to cross examine accusers

KARACHI: Top Pakistan players facing match-fixing charges are to appear before a Judicial Commission to cross-examine their accusers this week, court officials said on Wednesday. Skipper Wasim Akram, star batsmen Saleem Malik and Ijaz Ahmed, and bowlers Mushtaq Ahmed and Saqlain Mushtaq, will appear before High Court judge Malik Mohammad Qayyum next week, court official Abdus Salam Khawar said.  The match-fixing allegations have been haunting Pakistan cricket for nearly four years since Australian players Shane Warne, Tim May and Mark Waugh accused Saleem Malik of offering them bribes to perform poorly during the 1994-96 tour of Pakistan.
The players, busy with preparations for the wedding of their team-mate Inzamam-ul-Haq, are to appear before the third match of Asian Test Championship against Sri Lanka in Lahore in early March, he said. They will be given an "opportunity" to question those who have accused them of match fixing and bribery, Khawar said. The commission will finalise its findings and recommendations in three to four days, he added. "The government will decide the fate of the players" after the report, he said. Court sources said former cricket captain Asif Iqbal had also been summoned on Saturday after allegations that he was also involved in match fixing. Around 50 witnesses, including present and former players, cricket officials and alleged bookies have already appeared before the commission which started its
investigation in September last year. Pakistan cricketers have also submitted details of their assets to the commission.
 
 

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