Pakistan captain Butt not stepping down

LONDON - Pakistan cricket captain Salman Butt, who is facing charges of match fixing, said Sunday that he is not going to step down.

In the post match press conference, after Pakistan suffered an innings loss to England at Lord’s, Butt was also asked whether Pakistan deliberately lost the Sydney Test against Australia earlier this year, but he did not answer.

Pakistan manager Yawar Saeed deliberately changed the topic and when the captain was asked whether he was going to resign, Butt asked: “Why?”

“We won a Test against Australia after 15 years, and against England. These are just allegations, anyone can say anything about anyone, that doesn’t make them true,” Salman maintained.

When asked if the ODI series will take place, Yawar said: “As far as I am concerned, it is on.”

Yawar also came out in defence of young fast bowler Mohammad Amir, saying: “Mohammad Amir is a young bowler who has done very well in his career. He is disappointed to have been involved in these allegations.”

Salman said that his team has given its best.

“Definitely we have given our best, it’s just that the conditions have been difficult for the batsmen. Every person has given 100 percent, but not every time can you achieve what you want,” he said.

Salman, along with fast bowlers Amir, Mohammed Asif and wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal were questioned by the Metropolitan Police after they arrested London-based Mazhar Majeed who allegedly lured Amir and Asif to deliver three blatant no-balls in the Test match.

In a sting operation conducted by The News of the World, it was revealed that Mazhar received some 150,000 pounds from the tabloid and promised the undercover reporter that the fast bowlers will bowl no-balls at the agreed moment of the game.

On the basis of video evidence given by the tabloid, Scotland Yard launched their own investigation into the scandal. Saeed confirmed that Scotland Yard police officials had questioned him and several players in connection with match -fixing allegations.