PCB claim Amir played an unofficial match

Amir barred from all cricket activities until a decision on the spot-fixing case is reached.

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reached the conclusion that suspended fast-bowler Mohammad Amir was playing in an unofficial match and hence he did not violate the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) anti-corruption code of conduct.

Amir, along with Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif, has been barred from all cricket activities until a decision on the spot-fixing case is reached.

“The match that Amir bowled in was an unofficial match between two clubs that are not registered with the Rawalpindi Cricket Association,” said the PCB in a statement. “It was also found that no PCB official was present at the venue when the player took part in the game.”

The PCB also confirmed that the team sheets prepared prior to the match did not contain Amir’s name nor was his name listed with any side participating in the tournament. “This game was not part of any official tournament. The PCB has again advised all regional bodies to ensure strict compliance of the ICC directives regarding the three suspended players.”

“It was merely a practice match against a so called Army XI side which has some randomly picked players who were present there at the Pindi Stadium,” Rawalpindi head coach Sabhi Azhar told The Express Tribune. “I wasn’t even present there and when I reached Amir wasn’t there and had returned after bowling some four overs.”

The ICC had written to the PCB asking for details as to why Amir appeared in a friendly club match in Rawalpindi on Monday.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 29^th,  2011.