Pakistan may drop players under probe

[Lahore_Real_Estate]

* Two-member FIA team to fly to England to probe match-fixing allegations

LONDON: Pakistan could release players under investigation for alleged corruption from their squad for the one-day series against England, a source in the team told Reuters.

The source, which declined to be identified, said PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt, Manager Yawar Saeed and one-day captain Shahid Afridi were to meet in London on Monday. Yawar told Sky News on Sunday that police had confiscated the mobile phones of test captain Salman Butt and fast bowlers Amir and Asif. The trio and wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal were questioned by police at the team’s hotel in London following a report in a Sunday newspaper that the players had been bribed to fix incidents during the fourth test against England.

“The meeting is important because obviously some players in the squad who are not under investigation are feeling uncomfortable with the whole situation leading up to the one-day series,” the source said. “The prospect of releasing the players who are under investigation from the one-day squad and replacing them is under consideration and will be discussed at the meeting.” The source said the PCB and the team management were also concerned about the mental state of the players under investigation.

In another development, a two-member FIA team will be heading to England in the next couple of days to probe match fixing allegations. agencies