ICC asks PCB to submit report

Karachi, April 24: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has directed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to produce the judicial commission report on match-fixing in the Lord's meeting on May 2 and 3.

According to insiders in the board, the instructions have come directly from ICC president Jagmohan Dalmiya. Dalmiya, according to sources, further told the PCB officials that the submission of the report has already been delayed.

He further said that the report would be discussed when the cricket board directors assemble at Lord's to deliberate upon the present crisis erupting with the admission of Hansie Cronje that he accepted bribe from an Indian bookmaker to pass on information about pitch and weather.

Dalmiya is said to have also told the PCB that the Australian Cricket Board and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have already submitted their investigations to the ICC.

The chairman of the PCB, Lt-Gen Tauqir Zia, had also admitted upon his return from the ICC meeting in Singapore in February that he has been asked to submit the document as soon as possible.

In the backdrop of recent instructions from the game's governing body, the PCB chairman is said to be having a meeting with the Patron of the PCB, President Rafiq Tarar sometime this week.

Sources said the Chief Executive, General Pervez Musharraf, is also expected to attend the meeting in which certain policy decision, regarding Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum's commission report, would be discussed.

However, till Monday, sources in the presidency and Sports Ministry have denied having possession of the report which was prepared after more than a year's investigations by the Lahore High Court judge.

Justice Qayyum has already gone public and has been quoted as saying that he was convinced that sam Pakistani players were involved in match-fixing.

While expressing disappointment that the report has not been publicized, Justice Qayyum has said he has recommended life bans against some players besides suggesting cash penalties against others