Former cricket skipper Imran Khan has said that if players are found guilty of spot fixing they should be given exemplary punishment.

“I have come to know about these allegations against our players through media. I hope they are not true. However, if any player is found guilty he should be made an example for future generations of Pakistani cricketers,” he said while talking to a private TV channel.

British police said on Saturday that they had arrested a 35-year-old man on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud bookmakers. The arrest followed a newspaper report that Pakistani players had been bribed to fix the fourth test against England, which ended in defeat for the Pakistanis at Lord’s on Sunday. “It is very disappointing to learn about these allegations which I hope are not true as they can cause great damage to our cricket,” Imran said.

The former captain said that the disorganized structure of Pakistan cricket was to blame for the controversies that constantly hit Pakistan cricket. “There is a need to review the existing structure and change it for the better,” he added.

He said if after investigations it was proven that some players had indeed indulged in spot-fixing then they should be given exemplary punishment. “The punishment should be such that it sends out a strong message to our future generation of cricketers that crime never pays,” he said.

Imran, however, insisted that the series should go on at all costs and the one-day matches should be played on schedule or any other decision would cause great damage to the image of international cricket.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has declined to make any comments on the alleged spot fixing during the series in England. A PCB spokesman told APP that since the matter was under investigation by the ICC and British police it would not make any comments. He said that PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt had reported the whole

affair and the inspection of the team hotel by the police to the President and the Prime Minister and would keep them updated on any further developments.