Mani says ICC Chief Executive’s Pak ’spot-fixing’ remarks uncalled for

ISLAMABAD - Former International Cricket Council (ICC) President Ehsan Mani has lashed out at ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat for saying that he would be “disappointed” if the Pakistani players implicated in the ’spot-fixing’ case were acquitted.

Mani said that the case was yet to be heard by the ICC code of conduct tribunal and Lorgat’s statement was not required and unnecessary.

“The three-member ICC tribunal will hold the hearing next month, therefore Lorgat should not have said anything on the issue, his (Lorgat’s) remarks were inappropriate and if I was the ICC president, I would surely take action against him,” the Daily Times quoted Mani, as saying.

Pakistan Test captain Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif will face an independent ICC tribunal- from January 6 to January 11 next year in Doha- which will decide their fate.

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

The ICC’s Code of Conduct Commission Chairman Michael Beloff will head the tribunal that will hear the case, along with fellow code of conduct commissioners Justice Albie Sachs of South Africa and Kenya’s Sharad Rao. (ANI)