Tainted cricketers can play unless charged: PCB

PCB chief says media has exaggerated the furore which has aggravated the public outcry against team.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ijaz Butt has said the three Pakistan cricketers facing spot-fixing allegations could face England in the ODI series as long as they are not charged.

Captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif have been implicated in the scandal following a sting operation by British tabloid News of The World.

They will miss the first match and then we will see what happens in the future. They will be free to play immediately,not just in the one-day series, The BBC quoted Butt as saying.

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As far as we are concerned,unless they are charged they are free to do whatever they want, he added.

Butt further claimed the media has exaggerated the furore,which has aggravated the public outcry against the Pakistan team.

The initial first couple of days they were saying match-fixing,match- fixing,match-fixing and now all of a sudden the tune is spot-fixing,spot-fixing,spot-fixing without telling the public what that is, Butt said.

‘News of The World’ has alleged that several Pakistan players were part of a spot-fixing scam to bowl deliberate no-balls at precise points in the Lords Test against England.

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Meanwhile,the trio will miss todays practice match against Somerset,as they are scheduled to meet the PCB Chairman and Pakistans Ambassador to UK in London.