Riaz faces questioning
FAST bowler Wahab Riaz will become the fourth Pakistan player to be questioned by police next week as part of the on-going investigation into spot-fixing.
The 25-year-old rookie of just two Test matches will join captain Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir in giving a statement to Scotland Yard.
Butt, Asif and Amir have been charged and provisionally suspended by the International Cricket Council’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit as a result of an undercover News of the World investigation.
Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt, however, says that neither of the trio have been charged by police.
Speaking at a news conference in Lahore, PCB chairman Butt confirmed: “Police have requested that Wahab Riaz be made available for interview on 14 September.
“Since the players have not been charged we have informed Scotland Yard that they will be travelling back to Pakistan within the next few days.”
The allegations first came to light a fortnight ago when the News of the World accused Butt, Asif and Amir of accepting money in return for bowling no-balls in the fourth Test with England at Lord’s.
Riaz took 5-63 on his debut in the third Test at the Oval just a week before and followed that up with two more in the next Test. In total, he bowled seven wides and 13 no-balls.
Pakistan team manager Yawar Saeed, however, insists he is unaware of Riaz’s involvement in the investigation and insists the pace man remains in his plans for the forthcoming one-day series unless told otherwise.
“I don’t know about this but I am sure they will tell me if it’s true,” Saeed said. “Unless he’s dropped, he will play. If I’m told ‘don’t play X,Y,Z’ they won’t play. If I’m not told, I’ll select the best team but I’ve not been told anything. Let’s wait.”