Afridi, Waqar to be part of hearing

PCB allows captain and coach to share their views.

KARACHI:

Pakistan cricket chiefs said they would allow one-day and Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi and coach Waqar Younis to appear at a hearing into the spot-fixing allegations in Doha during the coming week.

The decision was taken after the International Cricket Council (ICC) requested the appearance of the two men at the hearing.

“The ICC has requested the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to direct Afridi and Waqar to appear before the ICC anti-corruption tribunal to determine the guilt or otherwise of the three players who have been accused of serious violations,” said a PCB press release. Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir are to appear before the tribunal in Doha from January 6 to 11.

Afridi was due to return late last night after captaining Pakistan in three Twenty20 matches in New Zealand while Waqar is with the team which is due to play the first of two Tests against New Zealand from January 7.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 2nd, 2011.