Malik to tour Australia (23 Oct 95)

KARACHI, Pakistan (Oct 23, 1995 - 18:06 EDT) - Pakistan`s cricket team left for Australia on Monday with manager Intikhab Alam making it clear they would not discuss the Salim Malik bribery charges during the tour.

The players left two days after former test captain Malik was recalled for the tour following an inquiry that cleared him of bribery allegations made by Australian spinners Shane Warne and Tim May.

Intikhab said he and captain Wasim Akram would not speak about the affair any more while in Australia.

"The entire unfortunate episode is an official matter between the Pakistani and Australian Cricket Boards and the touring staff has nothing to do with it," Intikhab said.

"There absolutely would be no official comment from our side on the issue if the media approaches us for any reaction."

Leg-spinner Warne and off-spinner May had accused Malik of offering them bribes to lose the first test at Karachi in September last year.

Former Supreme Court judge Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim, who headed the inquiry into the bribery affair, exonerated Malik at the weekend, saying the sworn accusations of the Australian players were "not worthy of credence."

Akram, given the Pakistan captaincy for a second time after the sacking of Ramiz Raja, said as his squad left: "Any team performing well in Australia is rated high and my team has all the will and intention to keep its rating high."

All-rounder Akram, whose first spell as captain ended with a players revolt against him in January 1994, added: "Australia are a mature and experienced lot and it would need determination aided by good performance to win there."

Pakistan are seeking to bounce back after recent humiliating home series defeats in both tests and one-dayers against Sri Lanka, followed by their failure to reach the Champions Trophy tournament final in Sharjah.

Akram`s squad face a three-test tour of Australia and subsequent visit to New Zealand for a single test and four one-day internationals.

The tour is Pakistan`s last major overseas assignment before the World Cup they are jointly hosting with India and Sri Lanka next February and March.