Three Pakistan cricketers should face a life ban if they are found guilty of being involved in a betting scam, Australian leg-spin great Shane Warne said on Thursday.
Captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif, currently on tour in England, have been summoned to London to meet the Pakistan Cricket Board chief and the country’s ambassador to Britain.
Britain’s News of the World tabloid has alleged that several Pakistan players were part of a scam to bowl deliberate no-balls at precise points in last week’s Test match against England.
“If it is true and they have been found (guilty of) match-fixing and throwing games and spot-betting with the no-balls and stuff, if that’s the case they should be thrown out,” Warne told reporters.
“It’s as simple as that. I don’t think there should be any other way to do it.
“If it’s fixed by players, they should be banned for life. Anyone who’s involved should be thrown out.”
Warne was a television commentator during the Sydney Test when Pakistan’s bizarre field placings and batting collapse helped Australia claim an unlikely come-from-behind victory.
“They are only allegations at the moment so I suppose you have to say innocent until proven guilty,” Warne said.
“But looking back at the (Sydney) Test match, if it was fixed, you could understand how it was fixed by the way they were captaining the side and their tactics.
“It would make sense — if it was true.”