By Omar Khalid, IANS,
Karachi: In what is seen as a setback to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), sources say the International Cricket Council (ICC) has refused to intervene in the issue of Cricket Australia (CA) chief executive James Sutherland’s comments regarding matchfixing.
A top PCB source told IANS that the world body has rejected the impression that it has not replied to a complaint filed by the PCB over Sutherland’s remarks, saying a reply was sent to Lahore April 27.
ICC also told the PCB that it cannot intervene in an issue involving two cricket boards.
Till last week, sources in the PCB were claiming the board is yet to receive a reply from the ICC over its complaint against comments made by Sutherland that last year’s spot-fixing scandal might not have happened if it had implemented all the recommendations of a pivotal report into matchfixing.
Angered by the comments, the PCB asked ICC to carry out an investigation.
Sutherland was quoted as saying in an interview last week: “In the context of what happened last year I think it is really important to read his (Judge Qayyum’s) full report but also his recommendations.
“If you have a look at the recommendations, ask yourself whether Pakistan Cricket Board actually went through and implemented all those recommendations. Well, I can’t say for sure but I would have big question marks about whether those things would have happened last year if those recommendations were fully implemented.”
He spoke about the need for all countries to remain vigilant over fighting corruption, a decade after the Qayyum report recommended punishment, including a life ban for Salim Malik, along with long-term measures to ensure Pakistan never again fell into the hands of corrupt cricketers.
PCB called Sutherland’s comments inappropriate.
“As a member country of the ICC and holding an important position in Cricket Australia, such kind of public statement against another ICC member is highly objectionable and the PCB wants the ICC to take action against Sutherland according to the prescribed rules,” PCB wrote to the ICC.
Justice Qayyum himself last year said the PCB had not been strong enough in implementing some of his 30 recommendations on curbing matchfixing.