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Cops to quiz Pakistan trio

London - British police were expected on Friday to quiz the three banned Pakistan cricketers embroiled in an alleged betting scam as the sport's world governing body was to explain their charges against them.

Test captain Salman Butt, plus bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif, were expected to be questioned over the scandal that has rocked the cricket world, after they were sanctioned by the International Cricket Council.

The ICC was to explain the provisional suspensions and corruption charges hanging over them in a press conference at the "home of cricket", Lord's in north London.

The sanctions have infuriated the Pakistani authorities, with Islamabad's ambassador to London blasting their actions as premature.

High Commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hasan said on Friday the ICC had "no business" to suspend them while the police investigation was ongoing.

The trio were summoned for a meeting at the embassy on Thursday for a meeting with Hasan and Pakistan Cricket Board chairperson Ijaz Butt.

Afterwards, Hasan declared they were not guilty of "spot-fixing", adding he thought they might have been set up by a British newspaper sting.

"I met the cricketers for two hours, cross-questioned them, got to the bottom of it and concluded that they were innocent," Hasan told BBC radio.

The ICC "have done the wrong thing. When there's a live police inquiry, this takes precedence over both the ICC, civil or regulatory investigations and any internal disciplinary investigations.

"To take action now is unhelpful, premature and unnecessary considering the players had already voluntarily withdrawn from playing.

"The ICC had no business to take this action. The ICC is just playing to the public gallery."

The players withdrew Thursday from Pakistan's tour England, with Hasan citing the "mental torture" they were going through.

They "want to defend their honour, they want to prove themselves innocent," he said.

The ICC has charged the three stars with "various offences" under its anti-corruption code and has suspended them with immediate effect pending a decision on those charges.

"We will not tolerate corruption in cricket - simple as that," ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said.

"We must be decisive with such matters and if proven, these offences carry serious penalties up to a life ban.

"The ICC will do everything possible to keep such conduct out of the game and we will stop at nothing to protect the sport's integrity."

The players have 14 days to request a tribunal hearing at which they can challenge the charges, and Lorgat stressed: "It is important, however, that we do not pre-judge the guilt of these three players.

"That is for the independent tribunal alone to decide."

On Thursday, Salman Butt, Amir and Asif missed Pakistan's eight-run win over county side Somerset.

The one-day match was a warm-up ahead of two Twenty20 internationals on Sunday and Thursday and five subsequent one-day games against England.

The News of the World newspaper alleged that it paid Mazhar Majeed, an agent for several Pakistan players, 150 000 pounds in return for advance knowledge of pre-arranged no-balls - normally accidental - which could then be bet upon.

The 35-year-old has since been arrested and bailed by British police.

Hasan questioned the authenticity of the tabloid's audiovisual footage.

"The video wasn't timed or dated. It could have been filmed before or after the match, or at a different time," he told BBC television.

Asked whether he believed the players may have been set up, he replied: "Yes, I would say that."

The allegations have shocked the cricket world and led to calls from figures within the game that the players involved should be banned for life.

The trio have already been spoken to by police and had their mobile phones confiscated.

Hasan also suggested on Friday that Indian bookmakers had a part to play in the affair.

He said: "Indian bookies were involved in it and this man Majeed was an agent of these cricketers, maybe he was ripping them off, but the fact is that he was working for the Indian Bombay bookies.

"That is where he is supposed to have breached some contract and that is why this whole frame-up came about, to get Pakistanis into it."

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