Pakistan player helped fix ICL matches: Report

Islamabad:

The involvement of a former Pakistan Test cricketer with bookmakers last year forced organizers of the unauthorized Indian Cricket League to withhold payments to all of its Pakistan players, according to a local media report.

"This (Pakistani) cricketer fixed (ICL) matches with the help of local bookmakers," Urdu language daily Jang quoted an unnamed ICL official as saying.

Another Urdu language newspaper, The Daily Express, published a similar report, quoting the unnamed ICL official.

ICL organizers were not immediately available to comment on the reports when contacted on Monday.

After the matter came into the notice of the ICL, the player in question was sidelined and dropped from remainder of the Twenty20 tournament.

Jang also reported that it was due to the Pakistan player's involvement with bookmakers that the rest of the tournament's Pakistani cricketers have been unable to have their payments cleared by the ICL.

However, "those players are now been assured that their payments will be cleared in a month's time," Jang said.

The ICL is reported to have suffered a heavy financial loss last year, slowing the process of paying the international players involved.

An International Cricket Council official, who declined to be named, told The AP that the sport's governing body has nothing to do with the issue as the ICL is an unsanctioned league.

Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq led a Pakistani team named Lahore Badshah in the ICL while few other Pakistani players like Taufeeq Umar, Shabbir Ahmed and Hasan Raza competed for other teams competing in the non-sanctioned league.

Earlier this year, the Pakistan Cricket Board gave amnesty to all those ICL players who severed their ties with the rebel league.

All-rounder Abdul Razzaq, fast bowler Rana Naved and opening batsman Imran Nazir have made comebacks to the national team after terminating their contracts with the ICL.