Suspended Pak trio should approach CAS to get spot-fixing clean chit: Sarfraz Nawaz

ISLAMABAD - Former Pakistani bowler Sarfraz Nawaz has urged suspended Test captain Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif to take their cases to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The trio were suspended in September after a British tabloid alleged that they were involved in ’spot-fixing’ the Lord’s Test against England in August.

Butt and Amir had appealed against their suspension, but it was rejected by the ICC’s code of conduct commission, headed by Michael Beloff, after a two-day hearing held in Dubai on Sunday.

“When the suspended players have no confidence in the ICC, how can they expect a favorable decision when the final hearing will be held,” the Daily Times quoted Nawaz, as saying.

“In the first place the players should have directly gone to the tribunal instead of going through this appeal process,” he added.

The former cricketer also played down requests from the players asking for help from the government and the Pakistan Cricket Board.

“I don’t buy this theory. Government should not be involved in such cases. What surprises me most is why are their lawyers not speaking after Sunday’s hearing?” Nawaz said.

“I believe Beloff must have showed them something which these players are now hiding from the people of Pakistan,” he added.

The innocence or guilt of the players will now be judged at an independent tribunal, the date of which has yet to be set. (ANI)