Criminal charges unlikely in fix case: ex-PCB boss

Shaharyar Khan said: 'I don't think it will be easy to prove criminal charges against our cricketers.'

Criminal charges are unlikely to be upheld against three Pakistan players implicated in a cricket match-fixing sting but civil charges likely will,according to the former head of the Pakistan Cricket Board.

Former PCB chief Shaharyar Khan said the evidence to uphold a civil case against Mohammad Asif,Mohammad Amir and Salman Butt is “quite strong,but I don’t think it will be easy to prove criminal charges against our cricketers.”

“In most of these sting operations in which newspaper reporters change their identities,it’s not easy to prove criminal charges in the court of law.”

The three players have been suspended by the International Cricket Council and charged under the sport’s anti-corruption code. That followed a media report which showed a middleman allegedly accepting money in exchange for organizing the players to bowl no-balls at prearranged times.

The trio,who had been withdrawn from the squad currently touring England,were again likely to be questioned by British police.

Zaheer Abbas,former Pakistan captain and team manager,said the ICC’s involvement did not bode well for the players.

“Before it was allegations,but now the ICC has taken a very tough step,which has raised the suspicions,” Abbas said.

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“Our players couldn’t differentiate between friends and foes. I still hope that our players could come out clean.”

The brother and sister of Amir were adamant that he couldn’t have been involved.

“Our brother can’t do match fixing,he is not involved in this and it’s not true,” Mohammad Ramzan said.

His sister Riffat Bibi said “we pray to God for him,our minds are satisfied that our brother is innocent.”