Butt and Amir are suspended indefinitely while the ICC mounts its investigation into alleged spot-fixing during the fourth Test against England at Lord’s unearthed by the News of the World. Michael Beloff QC chaired a disciplinary hearing in Dubai at the weekend which threw out their appeals against the suspension. Pace bowler Mohammad Asif, their fellow Pakistan Test player, had already withdrawn his appeal.
Butt returned to Pakistan on Monday and launched a series of attacks on the ICC during a tour of Pakistani television channels. “They listened to us but it felt as if their decision had already been made from before,” Butt said. “It was not based on a single piece of evidence. After a 12-hour hearing the only so-called evidence they had was the same News Of The World article and the same video everyone has seen.
The three have been banned from using the training facilities at the Pakistan Cricket Board academy as the administrators react to stinging private criticism from the ICC over its handling of anti-corruption measures.
The PCB are fighting for their own future, with strong voices within the game calling on the ICC to take over the running of the board, making it politically expedient to put distance between the administrators and the accused players.
“It [the PCB distancing itself] wasn’t expected,” Butt said. “Nobody from the PCB has even called us so I don’t know what is going on there. But I think now is the time for even the government to get involved as well as the PCB because it isn’t just about three players. This is Pakistan being cornered.”
Amir, the youngest of the accused, added: “Before leaving for Dubai we felt the case will be in our favour, but when he [Beloff] gave the decision it looked as if he had written the decision before. We went for the truth but this could be a conspiracy against Pakistan, to tarnish Pakistan’s reputation.”
The duo had hoped the lifting of their suspensions would allow them to take part in the one-day and Test series against South Africa currently taking place in Abu Dhabi, and then the World Cup next year in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
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