Afridi to captain team at World Cup LONDON: Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir will face criminal charges in Britain over allegations they conspired with bookmakers to fix a match last year against England. The trio have protested their innocence to the International Cricket Council but Britain's Crown Prosecution Service said Friday they and their agent have been summoned on charges of conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments and conspiracy to cheat. The players have been suspended from all cricket since Sept. 3 after a British tabloid alleged they bowled no-balls at prearranged times during August's fourth test at Lord's to fix spot betting markets. It was alleged 150,000 pounds ($241,000) was forwarded through businessman Mazhar Majeed. CPS head Simon Clements said the organization, which was responsible for prosecuting criminal cases investigated by British police, believed it had enough proof to convict the players. “We are satisfied there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction and it is in the public interest to prosecute,” Clements said. “The International Cricket Council tribunal is due to announce its decision tomorrow, but criminal proceedings are active now.” Clements said the CPS will apply for extradition orders against Butt, Asif and Amir — the latter of whom has apologized for bowling five overs in a friendly last week — if they do not return to Britain next month. Majeed is due to appear for an initial hearing at London's City of Westminster Magistrates' Court on March 17. “I would remind everyone that these men are entitled to a fair trial and should be regarded as innocent of these charges unless it is proven otherwise in court,” said Clements, whose organization received a file of evidence from Metropolitan Police on Dec. 7. “It is extremely important that nothing should be reported which could prejudice the trial.” An ICC anti-corruption tribunal, which questioned the players for more than 45 hours in Doha last month, is expected to deliver its own verdict on the players' cricket future Saturday in the sport's biggest fixing scandal of the past decade. Pakistan has, meanwhile, retained all-rounder Shahid Afridi as captain for the World Cup and named Misbahul Haq as the vice captain. “Afridi will lead Pakistan in the World Cup,” Pakistan Cricket Board spokesman Nadeem Sarwar told reporters Friday. Pakistan was the only country among the 14 World Cup participants which did not name its captain when announcing its 15-man squad last month. PCB chairman Ijaz Butt said in a statement that he had a detailed discussions with team management and players in New Zealand regarding captain and vice captain. “I am pleased to state that everyone fully endorsed these decisions,” Butt said. Pakistan's 2003 World Cup captain Waqar Younis will continue as coach. Aqib Javed — a paceman in the 1992 World Cup-winning squad — will be bowling consultant while Intikhab Alam will be the manager. Pakistan is placed in Group A with Sri Lanka, Australia, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Canada and will play all its group matches in Sri Lanka. The World Cup will be jointly hosted by Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh from Feb. 19
