Pak manager urges scandal-hit team to stay strong

LONDON - Pakistan manager Yawar Saeed has urged his ’spot-fixing’ scandal-hit squad to stay strong and “ride the pressure” for the remainder of the tour of England.

“We are human beings. Everybody has pressures in life - we have to ride the pressure, not give in to the pressure,” The Dawn quoted Saeed, as saying.

“I am concentrating on managing the team. Me and the rest of the team are trying to do the best we can, play the best cricket we can,” he added.

He further said that people should not jump to conclusions before a final verdict is made public by the investigating Scotland Yard police and the International Cricket Council (ICC)’s anti-corruption unit.

“My personal view is that we should let them (the investigators) go ahead and wait until the final decision comes,” Saeed said.

Media scrutiny on the squad has intensified after British tabloid ‘News of The World’ alleged that captain Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were involved in a 150,000-pound betting scam.

The ICC suspended the three players on Thursday for violating the sport’s anti-corruption code. (ANI)