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Akram reinstated as Pakistan captain

Wasim Akram has been reinstated as Pakistan captain for a one-day series in Toronto after being given the all-clear to play by an inquiry into match-fixing.

Neither Akram nor the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Mujeebur Rehman Khan, stated categorically that the captain had been cleared by the Pakistan inquiry, due to announce its findings on Tuesday.

But their comments left no room for doubt that the cloud cast by the allegations had lifted.

''The Pakistan Cricket Board is pleased to announce that Wasim Akram has been appointed to captain the Pakistan team in the Toronto mini-series,'' said Rehman, reading a one-paragraph statement at the Pakistan high commission in London.

He said the judicial commission, while not divulging its findings, had posed no objections to allowing Akram, Salim Malik and Ijaz Ahmed to return to cricket.

''They have, through our lawyers, given us information that he (Akram) is not barred to play cricket,'' said Rehman. ''the others are also cleared to play by the board.''

Akram, who captained Pakistan in the recent World Cup, former captain Malik and Ahmad faced allegations by colleagues of involvement in rigging results. They were suspended by the PCB in July following a 11-month investigation into the allegations. All three have denied the claims.

The high court judge investigating the match-fixing allegations announced last week he would hold a final hearing this week and then submit a report to the Pakistan president.

However, Rehman said the report had been sent to the president already. He added the PCB intended to ''come down very hard on those elements who have been trying to destroy the reputation of our country''.

None of the trio were named in the Pakistan squad announced last Wednesday for the series against the West Indies and Akram is the only one to be reinstated. Wicketkeeper Moin Khan had been named captain in Akram's absence.

Rehman said Ijaz and Salim were also available for Toronto, but had not been picked for reasons of form. But they would be considered for a forthcoming tour of Australia.

''Everyone knows Wasim is the top player in the world at the moment and we need him,'' he said of the left-arm paceman.

Akram said the decision to reinstate him as captain was ''very important, not just for me but for every Pakistani cricket player... Everything is coming into the right place now."

The captain denied any knowledge of match-fixing, saying he knew only what he read in the papers. ''I have not seen it. Nobody came up to me and offered me three and half thousand pounds or whatever. I don't think it happens but if it does, they have to be very good at it.''

Akram's reinstatement leaves a potentially explosive situation in the squad, which also includes former captain Aamir Sohail who accused his team-mates of match-fixing.

Akram and Rehman insisted there would be no friction. "I have discussed with Sohail and the captain and we both feel we should finish with this,'' said Rehman. ''As captain, I have to be neutral and the same with everyone,'' Akram said.

UNI