PCB should have stood by tainted trio until they were proven guilty: Mani

ISLAMABAD - Former International Cricket Council (ICC) President Ehsan Mani has hit out at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for giving a cold shoulder to the cricketers suspended over the ’spot-fixing’ scandal.

“I would think the PCB should have stood by the three players until they were proven guilty,” the Daily Times quoted Mani, as saying.

Pakistan Test captain Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif were suspended in September after a British tabloid alleged that they were involved in ’spot-fixing’ the Lord’s Test against England in August.

The trio will face an independent ICC tribunal- from January 6 to January 11 next year in Doha- which will decide their fate.

The tainted cricketers are also under Scotland Yard’s scanner, who are currently pursuing to charge them for “accepting or obtaining corrupt payments” contrary to their “employer’s affairs or considerations” under the 1906 Corruption Act.

The 104-year-old corruption law was originally framed for those working in public office and carries a maximum penalty of seven years in jail.

Mani also believes that the PCB does not want to select senior players like Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal and Danish Kaneria to avoid any altercation with the governing body.

“To me it appears as if the PCB is dancing to the tune of others. The PCB first terminated their contracts and then pulled back the legal support too, no organisation does this to it’s employees,” Mani said.

“The manner in which a few more players were quietly sidelined is also dubious. I feel that the PCB has no control over the issue and it is only acting on external instructions,” he added.

Malik, Akmal and Kaneria have been overlooked for Pakistan’s tour of New Zealand because of suspicions that they could be involved in match-fixing. (ANI)