Imran Khan, Pakisthans cricket legend says that his country
should not be eliminated from international cricket if the players found guilty of match-fixing
allegations.
Retired captain Khan, an all-rounder who has got a eventual career as a
politician said the country as a whole should
not be penalised for the alleged actions of a handful of players.
Speaking to ITV News in Islamabad,
Khan said: "Why should Pakistan
cricket suffer if some players have indulged in a crime? Why should Pakistani
supporters suffer because of that?
"The personnel who are found guilty should be removed from the team and
replaced and should be punished as an example for future generation to realise
that crime does not pay."
He said he was "shocked" at the allegations.
"It's a very depressing day for Pakistan
cricket but I still want to wait until the whole story unfolds until we know
whether the allegations are correct."
The allegations could turn round the table and may bring a biggest
setback for Pakistani cricket, he said.
"If they are proved, not just in terms of the best
players in the team being implicated but from the public point of view, they
would not understand the finer points of the game and each time they lose they
will think it's a fixed match, so it has long-term repercussions for Pakistani
cricket provided the allegations are true."
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