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ICC anti-corruption officer questions Shoaib, Younis

April 09, 2008 15:48 IST

An officer of the International Cricket Council's Anti Corruption and Security Unit has interviewed fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar and Younis Khan following the former's claim that he was offered money in South Africa and India to underperform.

The Pakistan Cricket Board is silent on the presence the ICC officer in the country but sources said Alan Peacock spoke to Akhtar and Khan in a hotel in Lahore.

"He is staying in a five-star hotel, where the Board puts up its teams and guests. The hotel management has been told to not reveal his room number," one source said.

"Peacock is conducting his activities very secretively. He met with Shoaib and Younis in the hotel."

The ACU officer flew in to Pakistan after Akhtar, in a television interview last week, claimed that he was offered money several times to underperform but rejected the tempting offers because of his love and loyalty to his country and team.

The enigmatic bowler spoke a day after he was banned for five years by the PCB for several counts of indiscipline.

Sources say Peacock is being assisted by the ACU's local representative Colonel Nuruddin Khawaja and his discussion with Khan may have been related to the Pakistan team's recent tour of India.

Younis was asked if Shoaib ever told him about any offers made to him on the tour and also about the happenings in the final Test in Bangalore.

"Younis was the captain in the last two Tests in Kolkata and Bangalore when Shoaib Malik was injured and Shoaib played in both games under his captaincy.

"Most probably Peacock spoke to Younis to find out if Shoaib mentioned to him any offers made to him to underperform in the matches in India," the source said.

The source also claimed that Peacock had also spoken to pacer Umar Gul.

The ICC Code of Conduct states that if a player does not inform his captain, team manager, Board or the ACU about any offers made to him to underperform, fix or bet on a game, he is liable to be banned for minimum one year and maximum five years.

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