Imran defends ECB position on Stewart

Former Pakistan and Sussex cricketer Imran Khan has defended the ECB's decision to keep Alec Stewart with the England touring party after several Pakistan cricketers called for Stewart's suspension until his innocence over match-fixing allegations has been proved.

Imran, writing in his website column said there was little evidence to back up the allegations made by Indian bookmaker MK Gupta over payments and offers to nine international cricketers but despite Lord MacLaurin's stance on the suspension of players, Stewart should remain.

"The ECB is right to keep Stewart in the team but their stance against Pakistani players was ridiculous," Imran commented.

"The Indian report has created a stir but there are no concrete evidences against players."

Former Pakistani captain Intikhab Alam and ex-fast bowler Sarfraz Nawaz both said Stewart, who was named in the CBI match-fixing report following allegations he received money from Gupta for information on pitches and weather, should be sent home to England by the ECB.

"England cricket officials now have to eat their own words as they had demanded suspension of several Pakistani players who were named in a domestic judicial inquiry report in May," Alam said.

"The Indian report has opened a Pandora's box and it will take a long time to clear the game of cricket from such an ugly situation," Alam said.

Former paceman Sarfraz Nawaz was also critical of ECB's stance.

"Now the ECB is defending their players and only recently they had demanded Pakistani players' suspension. They must send Stewart back," he said.

Former chief selector Haseeb Ahsan, Pakistan's manager on the 1987 England tour, agreed with the players.

Ahsan said Stewart must reveal what sort of relationship he had with Indian allrounder Manoj Prabhakar, who had been accused of dealing with bookmakers.

"Stewart has admitted he met Prabhakar, now he must reveal what did Prabhakar say to him and when did they meet John (Gupta)," he said.