DOHA – Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer front a make-or-break anti-corruption tribunal in Doha this week with the threat of life bans hanging over their heads.
The three face charges of spot-fixing during Pakistan’s tour of England last year. It is alleged that they bowled deliberate no-balls – claims they all deny.
They were provisionally suspended by the ICC in October, with the world governing body’s code of conduct carrying a minimum five-year ban if corruption charges are proved.
The maximum punishment is life ban. Their suspension came after reports in the British newspaper News of the World, which claimed several Pakistani players – including the trio – obeyed orders from a bookmaker during the Lord’s Test in August.
The three-man independent hearing is due to start here on January 6 and conclude on January 11, led by code of conduct commissioner, and leading lawyer, Michael Beloff, aided by Justice Albie Sachs from South Africa and Kenyan Sharad Rao.
It should be taking place in Dubai, where the ICC is headquartered, but was shifted to the Qatari capital as Asif is barred from entering the UAE after being deported in 2008 on possession of banned drugs. ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat told the BBC recently he was confident of the case against the players. “We need to send out a strong message and that is part of what we want to achieve,” Lorgat said.
“We’ve worked hard at collecting all the evidence that we would require to make the charges stand. “I am confident that our guys have worked very hard in ensuring they have got a case they can present which should stand the test of scrutiny.”
