Emirates Cricket Board’s Independent Commission of Inquiry is tointerview Pakistan’s former Test cricketer Sarfraz Nawaz and I.S
Imran Naeem Ahmad06-May-2001Emirates Cricket Board’s Independent Commission of Inquiry is tointerview Pakistan’s former Test cricketer Sarfraz Nawaz and I.S.Bindra, ex-chief of the Board of Control for Cricket in India as partof investigations into allegations that Sharjah is the home of bettingand match-fixing. The interviews will take place in London in thesecond week of this month, a source who did not want to be identifiedtold Dawn on Saturday.The Commission of Inquiry comprises QC George Staple, who is thechairman and former West Indian skipper Clive Lloyd and UAE’s BrigMuhammad K. Al Mualla, both commissioners. Sir Paul Condon, head ofthe International Cricket Council’s Anti Corruption Unit, hasappointed this commission of inquiry only for Sharjah, a venue whichis now widely believed to be “unclean”.The Staple commission, the source said was in Sharjah last month onthe heels of the tri-nation tournament involving Pakistan, New Zealandand Sri Lanka.Before that, the three members of the inquiry were in England wherethey interviewed relevant people for clues. Sarfraz has said all alongthat matches played in Sharjah were fixed and claimed that the 1987World Cup semifinal between Australia and Pakistan in Lahore wasfixed, a move masterminded by Abdul Rehman Bukhatir, Chairman of theCricketers Benefit Fund Series.As a result of this allegation, Bukhatir sued Sarfraz for Rs 10million but the case was not pursued till the end. The Staplecommission feels that in the light of Justice Malik Qayyum report onbetting and match-fixing, Sarfraz may have information which would bedirectly relevant to the allegations which the commission isinvestigating. I.S. Bindra is also believed to have vital informationthat could help the commission of inquiry.The latest blow to Sharjah’s image came last month when India pulledout of the tri-nation tournament there and announced that they wouldnot compete at any off-shore venue for three years.