The International Cricket Council (ICC) suspended all the the six umpires caught in a TV sting, which alleged that they were willing to fix Twenty20 matches, pending the completion of an inquiry against them, said a report in The Hindu.
“The International Cricket Council (ICC) and its relevant Full Member Boards have agreed not to appoint any of the umpires named in a sting operation recently conducted by India TV to any domestic or international cricket matches pending the outcome of the ongoing investigations into the allegations made,” the report quoted the ICC as saying.
“The officials named are not contracted by the ICC and those Boards who employ and nominate the umpires directly will conduct the investigations as a matter of urgency,” it added.
The channel had shown video clips purportedly taken by their undercover reporters, in which the umpires were shown to be allegedly willing to give certain decisions in exchange for money.
Sri Lanka Cricket chief executive Ajith Jayasekara said that they are studying the tapes of the sting operation and the local anti-corruption unit will work with the ICC in the investigations.
The six umpires, who are purportedly shown in the TV sting willing to fix matches, were Nadeem Ghauri and Anees Siddiqui of Pakistan, Nadir Shah of Bangladesh, and Gamini Dissanayake, Maurice Winston and Sagara Gallage of Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, a report in The Hindustan Times says that Pakistan’s Nadeem Ghauri is contemplating on taking legal action against the channel after getting the subtle backing of PCB which has “decided against jumping to conclusions”.
Ghauri has been shown speaking about corruption in cricket by umpires on Skype.
But on Tuesday he vehemently denied the allegations and said the video was fake.
Ghauri told reporters in Lahore that he spoke to the undercover reporter, who presented himself as a member of a sports management company, with regard to umpiring in the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL).
“I repeatedly told him that such matters are not discussed on phone,” he said. “I will take legal action once the board also completes its inquiry.”