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Latif says PCB is protecting its players

Former Pakistani skipper Rashid Latif, who shocked the cricket world by levelling match-fixing charges against his own teammates, alleged that the Pakistan Cricket Board is trying to protect its players.

Reacting to PCB chairman Tauqir Zia's reported statement that there is no evidence to punish Pakistani cricketers for any involvement in match-fixing, Latif told Gulf News, "The PCB is trying to protect the players. I have given enough proof and am shocked at Gen. Zia's statement. I submitted all the proof I had before the (Justice Malik Abdul Qayyum) commission and even photo copies of cheques. Now they claim that there is no evidence. I cannot understand it."

The Qayyum committee, which was formed after Latif's accusations, submitted its report in October last year. Recently, Justice Qayyum reportedly stated that he had recommended action against seven Pakistani players. Following this and subsequent demands from the International Cricket Council, the PCB agreed to make the report public within nine days.

The PCB chairman had recently stated: "There has been no planned match-fixing. Justice Qayyum has, however, proposed bans and fines against some players only because of their non-cooperation with the inquiry."

To this, Latif said: "Just because they (the players) did not answer questions or cooperate with the inquiry commission does not mean they are guilty. It is a clear move by the PCB to protect the players."

Latif felt that the ICC had been slack on the match-fixing issue. ''Three years back, I sent a fax to ICC chief executive David Richards, drawing his attention to match-fixing and other matters. He did not take notice of it and did not even bother to write back to me.

"Today he states that amnesty will be provided to the people who come forward with evidence. This is hypocrisy. Why was he silent all these years?''

Noting that Richards is an Australian, Latif said, ''It was the Australian Cricket Board that was silent till it was reported that Shane Warne and Mark Waugh were paid by an Indian bookie.''

UNI