PCB refuses to retract claims

PCB unlikely to back-out following the scathing attack the chairman launched on the England players.

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is unlikely to back-out following the scathing attack the chairman launched on the England players in the aftermath of a fresh wave of allegations.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has demanded a full apology from Ijaz Butt and has threatened to take legal action following the accusations if the chairman refuses to apologise.

“We’re looking for an apology,” said the ECB Chief Executive David Collier. “If it does not come we’ll look at other options. Clearly we’ll seek advice but there are quite strong laws of defamation. You can’t impugn someone’s integrity without having proper evidence.”

A PCB official, however, has said that the chairman is unlikely to issue an apology for his remarks.

“The ECB’s message has not been officially conveyed to us but there is no question of an apology,” the official told The Express Tribune before adding that Pakistan players were also accused without proper evidence. “Our players were also blamed for spot-fixing without any evidence, did somebody apologise for that? When we were accused everybody was suspecting us and now everybody is protesting against the chairman’s remarks, there are double standards in the cricketing world.”

The PCB chairman, while speaking on the latest allegations against Pakistan, accused English players of taking bribe to lose the third match at The Oval, a remark that was received with strong reaction by the ECB and England players.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 22^nd, 2010.