PCB chief refuses to apologise

PCB chief Ijaz Butt will not apologise or pay compensation for alleging England players were engaged in match-fixing.

KARACHI: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt will not apologise or pay any compensation for alleging that England players were engaged in match-fixing, an official source close to the chief said.

‘The ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) not only wants an unconditional apology from Butt but also financial compensation for (damaging the reputation of) its players,’ the source said on Saturday.

‘The letter states that the PCB should also compensate the ECB for the damages it suffered during the ODI series after Butt's remarks.’

The source added that the PCB Chairman was adamant he would not apologise for his remarks, in which he said there had been ‘loud and clear talk in bookies' circles that some English players were paid enormous amounts of money to lose (the third one-day), and told his legal advisors the PCB would not pay any compensation to the ECB.

Butt made the allegations after the International Cricket Council said it was investigating the third ODI for suspicious ‘scoring patterns’ by the Pakistan team.

PCB media manager Nadeem Sarwar told ‘Jang’ newspaper that there was no question of Butt apologising because he had not accused the English players of match fixing.

‘Everyone should listen carefully to what the chairman said in his interview he never directly accused anyone of match fixing,’ Sarwar said.

The ECB could not be reached for comment.