Miandad to name players in sex scandal

Pakistani cricket coach Javed Miandad will name the three players involved in an alleged sex scandal in his report on the incident to the Pakistan Cricket Board, an official said Wednesday.

"We cannot declare anyone guilty or not guilty until we get the report from the coach Javed Miandad, who will also give us names of the players in question," PCB director of operations Yawar Saeed said.

Three unnamed players allegedly invited women into their hotel rooms in the eastern city of Lahore before the squad left last week to play in the limited-overs 2000 Singapore Challenge.

"Some names did appear in the press but we cannot say if it is true or not," he said, referring to reports in the Urdu-language press naming batsman Hasan Raza, keeper Atiq Zaman and allrounder Shahid Afridi.

"The chairman of the board will take the final decision if the players are found guilty. We cannot make up our mind about the incident before hearing from the coach," Saeed said.

PCB chief General Tauqir Zia called Miandad in Singapore on Saturday to discuss the reported incident and asked him to provide a report as soon as he returned to Pakistan.

The scandal is the latest blow to Pakistani cricket following recent allegations of match-fixing raised in the commission of inquiry set up in South Africa to investigate the Hanse Cronje affair.

The News daily said the women were "followed by some shady characters" who demanded money from the cricketers to hush up the matter, which was paid in dollars.

On Wednesday it quoted Zia as saying he was concerned with the rising number of cases of indiscipline among Pakistani players.

"No player will be allowed to take the board for a ride," Zia said.

But he also blamed the media for blowing the alleged incident out of proportion.

Zia last month said Pakistani teams on home and away series would be watched by a secret mole planted among the support staff to keep the players in line.

Lahore High court judge Qayyum led an inquiry into match-fixing allegations in May which resulted in life bans for former captain Salim Malik and paceman Ataur Rehman, as well as fines for six players including star all-rounder Wasim Akram.

The judge also recommended tough reforms to curb match-fixing and discipline players caught breaking the rules of conduct.

Mail Cricket Editor