PCB is in touch with ICC over betting reports: Sethi

PCB's caretaker chairman, Najam Sethi today said that the board has communicated with the ICC after a British tabloid claimed that anti-corruption and security unit were probing matches of the recent ODI series between Pakistan and West Indies.
Sethi said that the board had already contacted the International Cricket Council in this regard and discussed the media report.
"We are in touch with the ICC on this matter and we have told them we need to clarify the situation," he said.
Sethi said hopefully the PCB and ICC would be able to issue official statements on the issue soon.
The PCB caretaker chief also said he had spoken to the team management in the West Indies and advised the players to focus on ending the tour on a winning tour.

British tabloid 'Daily Mail' has claimed in its report that suspicious betting patterns were identified during the five-match ODI series between Pakistan and West Indies, while unusually slow run-rates during certain overs followed by bursts of high scoring had set alarm bells ringing in the ICC.

The report stated that "concerns were raised, in particular, around the tied third match of the series played in St Lucia a week ago on Friday, as well as the final game, which resulted in a last-ball win for Pakistan."
The second ODI, which saw Pakistan fail to score a run off the bat in the first five overs after being set 233 to win, will also be scrutinized by officers of the ICC Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU), the report said.

A spokesman of the PCB when contacted confirmed the board had gone through the media report which was now reviewed by its legal advisors.
"We are also looking at the report from a legal point of view to decide our future line of action and we are in touch with the ICC," the spokesman said.
Interestingly, a spokesman of the ICC told Geo News channel that he couldn't comment on the report.
"The ICC as a rule does not comment on issues concerning the ASCU," he said.