CricInfo Home
News Home

NEWS FOCUS
Rsa in Pak
NZ in India
Zim in Aus

Domestic
Other Series

PAKISTAN'S World Cup squad are due to arrive in England today - 24 hours before the commission investigating allegations of match-fixing and bribery in Pakistani cricket hold their final hearing in Lahore.

Former captain and coach Intikhab Alam will give evidence as will Rashid Latif, the former wicketkeeper who has levelled many of the allegations of match-fixing and bribery against some members of the present Pakistan team.

Wasim Akram, the Pakistan captain, Salim Malik and Mushtaq Ahmed, the three players against whom most of the allegations have been made, will be represented by counsel.

Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum has not indicated when the commission will issue their report, but if the findings are released before the end of the World Cup they could have a devastating effect on the Pakistan team.

Ali Sibtain Fazili, the lawyer for the Pakistan board, said: ``The report could come out before the World Cup but that may be difficult. The judge has to submit it to the president of Pakstian, Rafiq Tarar. He could, of course, publish it himself.''

Kenya's squad flew into a damp Manchester yesterday to launch their World Cup campaign - they are in the same group as England - and admitted the English conditions could cause them problems.

But despite having to struggle against the weather and their underdog status, they are still confident of pulling off another shock victory to rank alongside their defeat of the West Indies in 1996.