Miandad will not give evidence

Pakistan's cricket coach Javed Miandad on Tuesday denied reports he was to give evidence in an alleged sex scandal involving three young players, adding that the Pakistan Cricket Board would fact-find before taking any action.

"Its not true that I will give a report," Miandad said on the team's arrival here after competing in the tri-series in Singapore.

A report in The News daily last week had alleged that three Pakistani players had invited girls to their Lahore hotel room a day before the team left for Singapore.

Press reports later revealed all-rounder Shahid Afridi, batsman Hasan Raza and wicketkeeper Atiquz Zaman -- all in their early twenties -- were involved in the accusations.

The News 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.

"I was not in that hotel and do not know what happened, nobody was caught red-handed so its hard to ascertain what happened," Miandad said.

"PCB will call the three players and will find facts before taking any action," he added.

Miandad and team manager Brigadier Mohammad Nasir had held detailed discussions with PCB chairman General Tauqir Zia, and director of operations, Yawar Saeed.

Both Zia and Saeed had said earlier that action would be taken following the coach's report on the team's return from Singapore.

"We did not talk about the incident in Singapore because it could have been disturbing for the team," Miandad said.

Sources close to the PCB said if the men were found guilty they would be fined and reprimanded, but not publicly so as to save their careers.

"The matter is delicate and the board does not want to spoil the careers of the three young players," Zia observed last week.

Pakistani players have a history of off-field discipline problems.

An under-19 player, Zeeshan Pervez, was charged in Guyana, West Indies, of raping a woman in 1997. He was released after the court ruled there was a lack of evidence.

Senior players Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Aqib Javed and Mushtaq Ahmed were arrested for smoking cannabis in Grenada, West Indies during the 1993 tour.

Two other senior players, Saqlain Mushtaq and Mohammad Akram were reportedly beaten in a night club brawl in 1998.

Mail Cricket Editor