Cricketers set to get benefit of doubt

Karachi, Aug 31: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will announce its decision on its three players on Sunday, insiders said. Brig (retd) Mohammad Nasir, who is the inquiry officer, is scheduled to submit his report on Sunday afternoon and the decision will be released after a meeting of the advisory panel.

Sources said the three players - Hasan Raza, Shahid Afridi and Atiq-uz-Zaman - are likely to come out clean as no evidence was found against them.

"Brig Nasir conducted an indepth investigation after which he has reached a conclusion that there is no evidence to suggest that the three players were involved in indiscipline," sources said.

They added that the players, who have also pleaded not guilty, are also likely to get the benefit of doubt in the background that they were under no contract with the PCB.

"The players were to get the contracts on Aug 16. This alleged incident took place on Aug 15 in Lahore.

"Secondly, the players were instructed to get assembled on Aug 16. These players arrived a day earlier because the flight schedule had gone topsy-turvy because of rains.

"These scenarios are enough to convince that the board had no control over the players since they were under no obligation of a formal bounding," sources, who assisted in the investigations, stated