Hasan denies writing to Zardari on spot-fixing row

Karachi:

Pakistan's High Commissioner to Britain Wajid Shamsul Hasan has refuted reports that he wrote a letter of complaint to President Asif Zardari expressing his unhappiness with the PCB's handling of the spot-fixing row which led to the suspension of three Pakistani cricketers.

Wajid reacted angrily when contacted by Geo Super channel on Thursday for his comments on a report in a newspaper about his writing a letter to Zardari.

"I have not spoken to anyone on this issue of spot fixing, I have not said anything on it to anyone," Wajid said when pressed for a confirmation.

He then refused to speak further on the issue.

The newspaper reported that Wajid had sent a letter of complaint to the President, who is also chief patron of the board, expressing his displeasure over the way the PCB had handled the spot-fixing issue.

A reliable source in the sports ministry, however, said there was some substance to the report about the High Commissioner complaining to the President.

"I don't know the details but yes something is going on behind the scenes about the performance of the board under Chairman Ijaz Butt," the source said.

The newspaper reported that in his letter, Wajid had said that the PCB officials "kept the diplomats unaware about the laws of ICC relating to alleged match-fixing."

"The PCB management has not guided the High Commission at any point," the newspaper quoted Wajid as saying in the letter.

The ICC suspended Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir over spot-fixing allegations while fourth player Wahab Riaz was questioned by Scotland Yard on Tuesday.