Pakistan drop tainted trio from T20 and ODI series

Pakistan's tainted trio of Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamir were dropped from the Twenty20 and ODI series against England following their alleged involvement in the spot-fixing scandal.

Pakistan team manager Yawar Saeed confirmed that the three players were dropped and replacements would be called up soon.

"We are 13 this morning and it will remain the same. We have asked for replacements for the three players who have
gone. We will remain 13 for the first two Twenty20 matches," Saeed told reporters.

Meanwhile, the three players reached London to meet up with Pakistan's high commissioner to discuss the corruption allegations levelled against the team.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt will also attend the meeting which follows a British newspaper's allegations that Amir and Asif were bribed to bowl deliberate no-balls in the fourth Test against England at Lord's which ended on Sunday.

Shahid Afridi, who retired from Test cricket after Pakistan lost to Australia at Lord's this year, will lead the one-day side in a warm-up match against Somerset at Taunton on Thursday.

The 50-over match precedes a seven-game, one-day series against England which starts with a Twenty20 match in Cardiff on Sunday.