Spot-fixing: Umpire Asad Rauf withdrawn from Champions Trophy
Pakistani umpire Rauf is accused of officiating a controversial match of the Indian Premier League.
Asad Rauf. PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI:
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has withdrawn Pakistani Umpire Asad Rauf from being a part of the panel in the upcoming Champions Trophy.
Rauf came under the radar of the Mumbai police’s investigations into the Indian Premier League spot-fixing scandal, according to the Times of India newspaper.
ICC said the decision was taken in the best interest of the umpire.
“In the wake of reports that the Mumbai Police are conducting an investigation into Asad Rauf’s activities, we feel that it is in Asad’s best interests as well as those of the sport and the event itself, that he is withdrawn from participating in the ICC Champions Trophy,” said ICC Chief Executive David Richardson in a statement.
A number of bookies, a Bollywood actor and three Indian cricketers have been detained and interrogated by the Indian police probing the scandal that has rocked the multi-billion dollar Twenty20 cricket extravaganza.
The Times of India report stated the crime branch of Mumbai police was probing the activities of the umpire in all the matches he was part of and was keeping his movements under watch.
Asad Rauf was one of the umpires who officiated the controversial match in which the three arrested Rajasthan Royals cricketers – S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan – allegedly indulged in spot-fixing, in a match against Mumbai Indians on May 15 in Mumbai.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has withdrawn Pakistani Umpire Asad Rauf from being a part of the panel in the upcoming Champions Trophy.
Rauf came under the radar of the Mumbai police’s investigations into the Indian Premier League spot-fixing scandal, according to the Times of India newspaper.
ICC said the decision was taken in the best interest of the umpire.
“In the wake of reports that the Mumbai Police are conducting an investigation into Asad Rauf’s activities, we feel that it is in Asad’s best interests as well as those of the sport and the event itself, that he is withdrawn from participating in the ICC Champions Trophy,” said ICC Chief Executive David Richardson in a statement.
A number of bookies, a Bollywood actor and three Indian cricketers have been detained and interrogated by the Indian police probing the scandal that has rocked the multi-billion dollar Twenty20 cricket extravaganza.
The Times of India report stated the crime branch of Mumbai police was probing the activities of the umpire in all the matches he was part of and was keeping his movements under watch.
Asad Rauf was one of the umpires who officiated the controversial match in which the three arrested Rajasthan Royals cricketers – S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan – allegedly indulged in spot-fixing, in a match against Mumbai Indians on May 15 in Mumbai.