By IANS,
Karachi : The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is optimistic that result of the controversial Oval Test in 2006 against England will be changed during the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) meeting that began in Dubai Sunday.
The Oval match was officially awarded as a forfeit to England after a ball-tampering row marred the match. Pakistan since have been fiercely pursuing ICC to change the result to either drawn or abandoned.
PCB said they are hopeful of a positive response this time as they have the support of England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB)
“We want the result to be changed on the basis of the fact that the ball tampering charges were not proved,” Shafqat Naghmi, PCB’s chief operating officer was quoted as saying in The News.
“Our case is even backed by England,” said Naghmi stressing that ECB has made it clear that they would support Pakistan’s demand when the issue comes for discussion in ICC’s chief executive’s meeting in Dubai.
“England were declared winners in that Test but they’ve told us that they don’t believe it was fair. They would rather have the Test declared drawn or abandoned,” Naghmi said.
England were declared winners of the Test – the last of a four-match series – after Pakistan forfeited the match on the fourth day in protest over umpire Darrell Hair’s decision to penalise them for alleged ball tampering, resulting it to be the first forfeited result in Test cricket’s century-old history.
Pakistan had refused to take the field after tea once Hair had awarded England five penalty runs in their second innings for alleged ball tampering.
The issue escalated into a major row, with the ICC eventually dropping the ball tampering charges against Pakistan but suspending the then captain Inzamam-ul-Haq for four matches for misconduct.
The ICC later sacked Hair but allowed the controversial Australian official to resume his international career earlier this summer.
“We are hoping that the ICC will agree to our request and change the result of that match,” Naghmi said.