KARACHI: The International Cricket Council will convene a preliminary hearing into allegations of spot fixing against three Pakistani players in 40 days time, the legal adviser to the country`s cricket board said on Tuesday.
Tafazzul Rizvi told Reuters that the players, Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, had exercised their right to a preliminary hearing against their suspension over the scandal and filed responses.
The players had asked for a hearing to hear their point of view, Rizvi said. "The ICC will now convene a hearing in 40 days time."
The three players were suspended on Sept 4 by the ICC for their alleged involvement in spot-fixing during the fourth test against England at Lords.
Team manager Yawar Saeed said earlier English police had delayed until Wednesday the questioning of a fourth player, fast bowler Wahab Riaz, over the scandal.
Riaz was originally summoned by Scotland Yard for Tuesday but Saeed told Geo super channel the questioning had been delayed by one day.
"Wahab will be going on Wednesday as there was some prior commitment he had to deal with first," Saeed said, without elaborating.
Riaz, 25, a left-armer, claimed five wickets on his debut in the third test against England and was a member of Pakistan`s squad for the five-match one-day series, but he did not play in the first two.
London police have already interviewed test captain Butt and pace bowlers Amir and Asif, who were suspended by the ICC over allegations they were involved in fixing incidents, such as no-balls, in a betting scam during the test series.
The trio have returned to Pakistan but on the condition they would be available for police questioning when required.
Rizvi said the tour selection committee took the decision not to select Riaz for the one day matches, denying it was a result of ICC or Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) pressure.
"He is available for selection as any other player in the touring squad," Rizvi said.
England won the test series 3-1 and are 2-0 up in the one-day matches.
BDST: 2214HRS, September 14, 2010
