3 Pakistani players charged by cricket’s ruling body in wake of match-fixing scandal

Cricket authorities charge 3 Pakistani players

LONDON — Three Pakistan players were charged Thursday by cricket’s governing body in the wake of the match-fixing scandal that has stunned the sport.

The International Cricket Council said it has notified Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir. The charges were not specified but relate to “alleged irregular behavior” during the fourth test against England last week.

For now, the players are barred from all forms of cricket and face penalties up to a life ban, although ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat stressed that “we do not prejudge the guilt of these three.”

“We will not tolerate corruption in cricket — simple as that. … We will stop at nothing to protect the sport’s integrity,” he said. “While we believe the problem is not widespread, we must always be vigilant.”

The British newspaper the News of the World alleged Sunday that Amir and Asif were paid to deliberately bowl no-balls in the opening day of the fourth test at Lord’s. Butt and wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal were also implicated in the story.

Asif, Amir and Butt had their cell phones confiscated by police, who also searched hotel rooms and questioned players on Saturday as part of an investigation also involving the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit.

Earlier Thursday, the three players met Pakistan High Commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hasan, who said the trio had been put through “mental torture” and would step down for the rest of the England tour.

“The three players have said they are extremely disturbed with what has happened in the past one week, specially with regard to their alleged involvement in the scam,” Hasan said in a statement on behalf of the players. “They mention that they are entirely innocent in the whole episode and shall defend their innocence as such.”