ISLAMABAD, JULY 25: In what could be the most controversial turn in the tale of allegations of match-fixing and betting in international matches, Pakistan cricket captain Wasim Akram and two of his teammates, Salim Malik and Ijaz Ahmed, have been temporarily suspended from the national team.The suspension was announced by the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) ad hoc committee chairman Mujibur Rehman, following the publication on Saturday of an enquiry by the PCB into the allegations. `We are not going to consider Wasim Akram, Salim Malik and Ijaz Ahmed for selection to the team till they prove themselves innocent,' he said.Akram, who has stayed on in England after the World Cup, reacted angrily to the charges saying he hadn't `done anything wrong'. Malik and Ahmed have also denied the allegations.Rehman, however, indicated no immediate action against five other players - vice-captain Moin Khan, Inzamam-ul Haq, Saqlain Mushtaq, Waqar Younis and Mushtaq Ahmed - who had been found guilty of match-fixingin an internal enquiry by the PCB completed in August last year.Justifying the temporary suspension of the three players, Rehman said only after finding `concrete evidence' against them had the Ehtesaab (accountability) Bureau (EB) recommended framing of charges.In England, meanwhile, Akram, who is expected return to Lahore on Tuesday to speak with Rehman, insisted he was innocent: ``I refute any charges. The problem here is that everybody gambles, and when they lose they must blame someone, so they blame the Pakistan team.''And in a broadside that could ruffle political feathers, Akram said: ``In Pakistan, sport has a lot to do with politics and this is more political than anything else.''According to the official news agency, APP, Akram was charged with two acts of match-fixing. `Firstly, he was charged with conspiring to fix the one-dayer against New Zealand in `94,' the agency reported. `Then he lost the Sahara Cup match against India in 1996.'APP said evidence to the probe committee hadbeen provided by former captains Aamir Sohail and Rashid Latif and Ata-ur-Rahman.`Akram induced Ata-ur-Rahman to play badly against New Zealand,' said the agency, adding: `Akram disclosed to Ata-ur-Rahman that the match was fixed. Akram proposed to pay Ata-ur-Rahman Rs 3,00,000 to Rs 4,00,000.'Pakistan lost the match by seven wickets.As for the second allegation, APP said: `Akram left the field when Dravid and Azharuddin were scoring. Vice-captain Aamir Sohail captured two wickets by readjusting field placing. On returning, Akram angrily demanded why Sohail had made the changes.'
