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Former Pakistan players slam new claims

Former Pakistan players on Sunday cried foul over more allegations of corruption against the embattled national team, saying the new claims were part of a conspiracy.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has launched an investigation into a ‘certain scoring pattern’ that emerged during Pakistan’s victory over England at the Oval on Friday in the third one-day international.

It followed a report by The Sun newspaper, which claimed to have been made aware of details of Pakistan’s innings before the match had got underway.

The new allegations follow the suspension of three Pakistan players for alleged involvement in spot-fixing during a Test at Lord’s after a report by another British tabloid, the News of the World.

‘I think the ICC has taken a decision (to launch an inquiry) in haste and the PCB must protest with them,’ former Pakistan captain Zaheer Abbas told AFP, referring to the Pakistan Cricket Board.

‘The new allegations are from a newspaper of the same group as News of the World, so I see it as a conspiracy against Pakistan.’

The PCB has strongly condemned the latest investigation and the ICC’s handling of it, saying Pakistan cricket authorities had not been consulted.

Another former captain, Rashid Latif, backed the PCB.

‘Upon getting the information the ICC started its investigation and the PCB rightly expressed its disappointment over it,’ he said.

‘The ICC is there because of its full members and being a full member the PCB should have been given the due respect.’

Former leg-spinner Abdul Qadir said: ‘I see the latest fixing allegations as part of the Lord’s Test scandal and there are people who are targeting Pakistan team, which should be protested strongly.’