Rashid Latif refuses to publicise evidence on alleged Indian bookie

KARACHI: Pakistan's former cricket captain Rashid Latif has refused to make public any evidence to back his claim that the PCB hosted an alleged Indian bookmaker Anu Bhatt during the national team's 2005-06 series against England and India.


Latif said he had the evidence but since the matter was sensitive, he would share it with the Board through his legal adviser.

The PCB has sent a legal notice to Latif asking him to present evidence to support his claim or apologise. The PCB has stated that it reserves the right to start legal proceedings against him.

Latif said he respected the PCB as it was the parent body of Pakistan cricket.

"I don't want to create any fresh controversy which is not good for Pakistan cricket but my plea to the Board is that I only brought up this issue because of the Danish Kaneria case," he said.

He said the PCB must not pressurise Kaneria to plead guilty to spot-fixing until he has exhausted all legal options available to him.

"And I feel there are options available to him and there are legal lacunae in the proceedings held in which the England and Wales cricket board imposed a life ban on him for spot fixing," Latif said.

Bhatt became a well known name during Kaneria's hearings in England where a disciplinary committee of the ECB imposed a life ban on the spinner, who has played 61 Tests.

The ECB's appeal disciplinary committee later dismissed Kaneria's appeal against the life ban from playing cricket.

Kaneria has failed another appeal which has been endorsed by the PCB in a commercial court of the United Kingdom.

Referring to the PCB notice, Latif said he will answer the PCB's notice and was ready to share proof in private.

Latif, who as a player blew the whistle on corrupt teammates, admitted he has put his clean reputation at stake but insisted that he took up Kaneria's case after going through all documents and evidence.