Fast-bowler was cleared by the governing body following ball-tampering allegations during second ODI
14 May, 2019
PHOTO: AFP
The Pakistan Cricket Board and the team management has decided against lodging complaint with International Cricket Council (ICC), following ball-tampering allegations against England fast-bowler Liam Plunkett.
Plunkett was cleared by the ICC after it was claimed, especially on social media, that he may have tampered with the ball during the second one-day international (ODI) against Pakistan.
A short sequence from Saturday's match in Southampton led to a debate on Twitter, with some on social media suggesting the 34-year-old had been involved in an act of foul play as a result of a three-second clip showing Plunkett rubbing his fingers along the surface of the ball.
According to sources, the team management is pretty certain that Plunkett tampered with the ball but they have decided against further investigation in order to avoid any sort of controversy.
Some Pakistan players are of the opinion that if such a thing was committed by one of their cricketers, the reaction and investigation to it would have been entirely different. But just because the hosts were involved in it, nobody bothered to take notice.
England, hosts of the upcoming men's ODI World Cup, beat Pakistan by 12 runs at Southampton to go 1-0 up in the five-match series, with Plunkett taking two wickets for 64 runs in nine overs after Wednesday's series opener at The Oval was washed out.
The teams meet again in Bristol on Tuesday.
