Shahid Afridi apologises for 'fixing' row: first of two Twenty20 internationals starts

Pakistan one-day captain Shahid Afridi apologised Saturday for the scandal engulfing his side's tour of England after British police questioned three players over an alleged betting scam. Test captain Salman Butt plus bowlers Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif were all released without charge Friday after the interviews at a police station near the 'home of cricket', Lord's in north London.
But the trio - who protest their innocence - are still battling charges under the International Cricket Council's (ICC) anti-corruption code and have been barred from playing any further matches pending the outcome of their case. "I think this is very bad news," Afridi told reporters at Sophia Gardens here on Saturday, where the first of two Twenty20 internationals against England takes place Sunday.
"On behalf of these boys - I know they are not in this series - I want to say sorry to all cricket lovers and all the cricketing nations." Pakistan coach Waqar Younis said this had been the toughest week he'd known in two decades of international cricket. "It's pretty sad, whatever happened, and it's been really, really tough on everyone, not only me but the entire team, the management and back home it's been really bad," former fast bowler Waqar explained. Aamer, at 18 one of cricket's hottest talents, Asif, 27, and Butt, 25, had already withdrawn from the England tour claiming "mental torture", missing Pakistan's eight-run win over county side Somerset on Thursday.
The allegations all relate to the fourth and final Test between England and Pakistan at Lord's, which ended last week with an England victory, in which a tabloid newspaper said deliberate no-balls had been bowled. The News of the World Sunday newspaper alleged that it paid Mazhar Majeed, an agent for several Pakistan players, 150,000 pounds (185,000 euros, 230,000 dollars) in return for advance knowledge of the no-balls, which could then be bet upon.
The 35-year-old was arrested and bailed by British police. Afridi said the team had been told not to discuss the matter and not to read this Sunday's News of the World. Meanwhile England Twenty20 captain Paul Collingwood told reporters at the ground: "If I was approached by anybody, I think I would certainly tell somebody about it."
Collingwood said the Sunday of last week's Lord's Test was "one of the saddest days in my career", adding: "I don't really what to have that feeling on a cricket pitch ever again. "At no time were they placed under arrest, they were free to leave at any time and they have answered all of the questions that were put to them and have been released without charge or conditions," she told reporters afterwards.
The ICC sanctions have infuriated the Pakistani authorities, in particular Pakistani High Commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hasan, who has said he believes the players are innocent and has suggested they may have been set up. "I met the cricketers for two hours, cross-questioned them, got to the bottom of it and concluded that they were innocent," Hasan told the BBC Friday.
"The ICC had no business to take this action. The ICC is just playing to the public gallery." Hasan suggested that Indian bookmakers had a part to play in the affair. But Lorgat said there was "no truth that there is a conspiracy against Pakistani cricket".
However, the South African added: "We will not tolerate any sort of corruption in the sport". Meanwhile an ICC spokesman told AFP the trio had also been dropped from its annual awards list, where Aamer was in the running for the best emerging player award and Asif was listed in the best cricketer category.