Broad was ‘distraught’ by PCB chief’s comments of England throwing ODI match

LONDON - England fast bowler Stuart Broad has said that he was shocked when Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ijaz Butt accused English players of throwing a ODI match for an “enormous” amount of cash.

“I was distraught by his comments. This was the head of their cricket board accusing us of cheating,” the Telegraph quoted Broad, as saying.

“We were so close to not playing, but I was keen to play because I wanted them to go home with nothing; to lose the Test series, lose the one-day series and have a completely miserable time.”

“I think we did the right thing by playing on because we couldn’t let a joker like that affect the dynamics of cricket. If we were to pull out of a series because of what one man said, it would have set a dangerous precedent,” he added.

He further said that the England team was charged up before the fourth ODI at Lord’s, “but the passion of wanting to stuff them out of sight was overriding”.

Earlier, in a TV interview, Butt said, “There is loud and clear talk in bookie circle that some English players were paid enormous amounts of money to lose the match… No wonder there was total collapse of the English side.”

In a follow-up interview, he denied accusing England players, claiming that he had merely been relaying information from bookmakers relating to the fourth ODI at the Oval.

In response, the ECB had demanded a “full and unreserved apology” as well as financial compensation for the damages caused, and warned “if a satisfactory response was not received, legal proceedings will be commenced against him without further notice”. (ANI)