ICC Grills Former Pakistan Batsman Over Alleged Spot-fixing Charges

Former Pakistan batsman Mansoor Akhtar was grilled by an officer of International Cricket Council’s Anti-Corruption Unit on Friday. Mansoor Akhtar had allegedly approached Pakistan star Umar Akmal to spot-fix during the recent Canadian Global League. ICC’s Steve Richardson made an unexpected appearance at the National Stadium in Lahore to interrogate Mansoor Akhtar.

Earlier, Akmal had accused Mansoor Akhtar of approaching him during the CGL and making an offer to spot-fix during the tournament. Mansoor, who was part of the management of one of the franchises, has denied the accusations by Umar after the latter reported the matter to the ICC and the organisers.

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However, Mansoor, who has played 19 Tests and 41 ODIs for Pakistan, had remained underground after the episode, according to Indian Express. While Mansoor is based in United States, reports suggested that he returned to Karachi after Akmal’s revelations. The ICC is yet to make a comment on the same. Richardson, on the other hand, is now set to meet Akmal in Lahore.

“We don’t know what took place in the meeting but the ICC officer had called Mansoor to the stadium and he spent over an hour with him,” a source in the PCB said.

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Pakistan cricket has constantly suffered with spot-fixing scandals in the last couple of decades or so. The likes of Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Aamir and Salman Butt served five-year bans for corruption from 2010 to 2015 while Test leg-spinner Danish Kaneria has also been banned for life by the ECB for his role in spot-fixing in English county cricket.

Last month, batsman Sharjeel Khan completed a five-year ban for spot-fixing in the Pakistan Super League in 2017.  Half of his ban period was suspended by a Anti-Corruption Tribunal of the Pakistan Cricket Board.

Also Read: ICC, Members Needs To Do More To Support Return Of International Cricket To Pakistan: Sarfaraz Ahmed