Cricket show will go on

Cricket show will go on

The Pakistan team held an emergency meeting after The News of the World reported that a fourth player was being investigated over match-rigging allegations, leading to speculation that they could pull out of the series.

“We are going to the ground for the match and that means the series is on,” Yawar told Geo Super Channel.

The newspaper quoted Pakistan batsman Yasir Hameed as saying that some of his team mates were fixing matches.

Hameed again denied making these allegations, even though the newspaper released a video of the interview with him.

“I was approached by this guy about a deal for sticker sponsorship on my bat. It was a general discussion and I just repeated what had already been published in the News of the World,” Hameed told Reuters.

“I was tricked into this interview I never knew they were recording it which is a serious offence and I am talking to the Pakistan team management about it,” he said.

Test captain Salman Butt and pace bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamir were suspended by the International Cricket Council last week over spot-fixing allegations.

Shahid Afridi, who will captain Pakistan in the one-day series against England, apologized to his countrymen for the damage caused by the scandal.

“Pakistanis passionately love their cricket team and support us. I apologize to them and the rest of the cricket world for what has happened,” he told Geo News channel.

“I can only ask for forgiveness on behalf of Salman, Asif and Aamir.”

Pakistan High Commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hasan told BBC Radio on Sunday that the trio should receive life bans if they are found guilty.

“If the News of the World evidence is correct then I would banish them from cricket,” Hasan said.