Seven Pak players ignored for South Africa series due to ’spot-fixing’ scandal: Sources

LAHORE - Seven Pakistani players were reportedly omitted from the Test and ODI squads for series against South Africa due to their suspected involvement in the ’spot-fixing’ scandal unearthed during the recent England tour.

Kamran Akmal, Yasir Hameed, Shoaib Malik and Umar Amin along with the suspended trio of Test captain Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were the players ignored for selection.

A doctor at the hospital where Kamran’s appendicitis operation was conducted a couple of days back, said that the wicketkeeper had a minor surgery and he would have attained complete fitness for the tour, the Dawn reports.

According to sources, Kamran’s axing, therefore, was done for reasons other than fitness.

The sources further said that Amin was not considered as he was seen in the video footage along with fast bowler Wahab Riaz talking to London-based bookie Mazhar Majeed.

Amin was also not considered for next month’s Pakistan ‘A’ tour of West Indies.

However, Wahab’s selection in the Test side was made possible after a senior Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials guaranteed his complete innocence in the matter, sources added.

Butt, Asif and Amir have been accused by a British tabloid of being paid to deliberately bowl ‘no-balls’ during fourth test against England at Lord’s.

Scotland Yard police is investigating claims that reporters from News of The World had paid 150,000 pounds to Majeed in return for exact details.

Butt, Amir, Asif, Riaz and Kamran have all given statements to the police in this regard. (ANI)