KARACHI, Sept 13 (AFP) - Pakistan's cricket captain Wasim Akram has been cleared of match fixing and bribery and retained his position as leader of the national team, a top official said Monday.
The ad hoc committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which suspended Wasim along with batsmen Ijaz Ahmed and Salim Malik, has lifted the ban on Wasim, they said.
''He is back and he is leading the team in Canada against the West Indies,'' chief selector former colonel Naushad Ali told AFP.
Sources said no decision had been taken about Ijaz and Salim.
The players were suspended on the basis of an interim report of the PCB last year which implicated Wasim, Ijaz and Malik, and named team-mates Waqar Younis, Moin Khan, Inzamam-ul Haq, Saqlain Mushtaq and Mushtaq Ahmed as ''beneficeries''.
Officials said the announcement to recall Wasim was made in London by PCB ad-hoc committee chairman Mujibur Rehman.
Wasim, currently in London, is likely to fly to Canada along with 15 team members on Tuesday.
Wicketkeeper Moin Khan, who was earlier named as captain for the three one-day match series, has been made vice-captain.
''Wasim is a great cricketer. His comeback will certainly boost the strength of the team,'' Ali said.
The decision came after a one-man judicial commission, probing the match fixing allegations, wrapped up its proceedings on Saturday.
The commission, headed by Lahore High Court judge Malik Mohammad Qayyum, is to submit its findings this week to President Muhammad Rafiq Tarrar, who is also patron of Pakistan's cricket board.
Sources said cricket bosses selected Wasim after being assured that he had been cleared by the commission.
The breakthrough came after former paceman Attaur Rehman retracted his earlier statement alleging Wasim offered him bribe to bowl poorly in a one-day match in New Zealand in 1994.
The commission has heard testimony from 70 people including players, officials, journalists and bookies since it was set up a year ago.
The allegations of match fixing first cropped up in 1994-95 when Australian players Mark Waugh, Shane Warne and Tim May alleged former captain Salim Malik offered them a bribe to throw a Test.
The players came under fire again when Pakistan suffered a humiliating defeat against Australia in the final of the World Cup in June.
Angry fans and some former players alleged Wasim's team had fixed matches against Bangladesh, India and Australia. Effigies of the cricket stars were burned in the streets.
Wasim's return has been hailed by fans and players.
''It is a historic moment for Pakistani cricket as Wasim is an asset and a treasure,'' former Test cricketer and selector, Salah Uddin said.
''It will be a great morale booster for the team and its members whose members were put under pressure after the World Cup defeat.''
Veteran cricketer turned selector Abur Raqib termed it a ''good omen'' for national cricket and said: ''People can again see one of the greatest fast bowlers in action.''
Former off-spinner Tauseef Ahmed said it would be good if the match fixing controversy was now ended once for all. |
