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Karachi, Dec 24: The new Pakistan cricket chief on Friday spelled out his board's policy on the ongoing match-fixing and betting saga that has also rocked the sport internationally.

Lt-Gen Tauqir Zia, talking to Dawn from Lahore on telephone, emphasized that he would take no action against the cricketers until and unless advised by the patron of the Pakistan Cricket Board.

"The report of the judicial commission has been sent to the ministry of sports. I don't know if it has been delivered to President Rafiq Tarar. But the PCB would act only if the president orders action against players," the general said.

The PCB chairman stressed that the judicial commission was constituted by the government. He stated that the government was only entitled to take decision against the players which would be implemented by the board if told. "I have not been appointed to start investigating foul play and destabilize the team. My assignment is to streamline Pakistan cricket and its team," he asserted.

The PCB ad hoc committee chairman said he had complete faith in the cricketers. But he minced no words in saying that if the president ordered action against the players, "there would be no delay in implementing the orders."

He said he has not asked the ministry of sports to provide him the copy of a judicial commission report. He said he was not interested in going through the investigations. "As far as I am concerned, all the players are innocent until proven guilty. And if there is any evidence against the players, then the orders should come from the government," he remarked.

"The cricketers are very well paid off. The board takes the best possible care of them. After all this, no one expects them to give priority to their own interests than the interest of the team and the country," said the general.

The general said he was planning to go to Australia during the tri-nation series either by the end of January or early February. He said his travel would depend on his engagements.

Asked if he would be discussing the subject of sledging, the general said a lot of matters of bilateral interests would be discussed. The general said he would be attending an International Cricket Council (ICC) conference to be held in Singapore in the second week of February.

On the Shoaib Akhtar's throwing row, the PCB chairman said the bowler had full blessings of the board and promised all out support to him. He pointed out that after watching the 20-minute video provided by the ICC, one thing was quite evident. "No shot has been taken from the mid-wicket camera. Not only me, but the entire panel who watched the video, was of the unanimous opinion that mid-wicket camera is the best angel to judge if Shoaib's arm was coming from the top."

The general questioned the fixing of Dec 30 date for the teleconference in the background that the board received a communication from the ICC inquiring about the availability of Imran Khan who is Pakistan's representative on the nine-man advisory panel on illegal deliveries. "How can the ICC fix a date without consulting the availability of Pakistan's representative. After fixing the date, they are looking for Imran. It's quite strange," he said.

© The Dawn