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Scotland Yard detectives visited the Pakistan dressing room immediately after the third day's play to question the players after the tabloid sting operation exposed 'spot-fixing' and the alleged nexus between the players and bookies.
"Scotland Yard detectives had visited the team hotel where they had taken statements of captain Salman Butt, fast bowlers Muhammad Asif and Muhammad Aamir, and wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal," Pakistan team manager Yawar Saeed said.
The 'News of the World' tabloid alleged that a Pakistani man Mazhar Majeed, who is now under arrest, had paid bribes to the players to bowl no-balls in the series and the Lord's Test.
The video evidence that the tabloid has presented also shows Majeed talking about his links with Indian bookies.
"I deal with an Indian party. They pay me for the information," Majeed is quoted as saying.
The International Cricket Council said it was aware of the developments but made it clear that the fourth day's play of the Test will continue as scheduled.
"No players nor the team officials have been arrested in relation to this incident and the fourth Test match will continue as scheduled on Sunday.
"As this is now subject to a police investigation neither ICC, ECB, PCB nor the ground authority, the MCC, will make any further comment," an ICC statement said.
Yawar admitted that the investigators had also spoken to him but denied that the rooms of the players were raided. He also denied seizure of money, laptops and phones of the players from their rooms.
"The police have also spoken to me and we are trying to cooperate with them in every way possible and we are giving them whatever information they want," Yawar said.
But sources said the Scotland Yard detectives gathered some evidence from the hotel after raiding the players' room.
The embattled Pakistan team has also gotten in touch with their High Commission in London for assistance. Confirming this Yawar said, "the High Commissioner is also in touch with the Scotland Yard in this issue. We are cooperating with them."
Besides Majeed, an accomplice of his has also been picked up by the police for questioning. Majeed, 35, was arrested late last night after the tabloid handed over details of its sting operation to the Scotland Yard.
The bookie claims to have paid some players in excess of 150,000 pounds to fix the Test match.
"The police have carried out preliminary questioning of some players. Majeed is an old associate and friend of many Pakistani players and is settled in London. He has been seen regularly with the players on the tour," one source said.
"The sad part for the Pakistan cricket is that several leading players are said to be involved in this new scandal which could cause untold damage to Pakistan cricket," he said.
Pakistani TV channels reported that the players had been sounded off about the inquiry when the third day's play ended.
"That is why the players left early for the hotel without anyone attending the mandatory post-play press conference," a source said.
Pakistan had reduced England to 47 for five and then 102 for seven on second day at Lord's but Jonathan Trott and Stuart Broad scored centuries to share a record eighth-wicket partnership of 332 runs.
The two Pakistanis who bowled no-balls allegedly on directions from Majeed were Asif and Aamir. Both bowlers delivered three no-balls on Thursday and Friday.
The two bowlers delivered the no-balls "at precisely the moments promised to our reporter," the tabloid said.
"Our undercover team was posing as front men for a Far East gambling cartel. In return for their suitcase of money Majeed then calmly detailed what would happen - and when – on the field of play next day, as a taster of all the lucrative information he could supply in future," it reported.
Pakistan was bowled out for 74 yesterday and made to follow-on and were reduced to 46 for four at stumps facing certain defeat and a big series loss.
While match-fixing is fixing the result of the whole match, spot-fixing is fixing events within a match, on ball-by-ball basis.
The names of Pakistani players cropped up in match fixing earlier this year as well.
After the tour of Australia, former Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam and assistant coach Aaqib Javed (who is still with the team) had expressed suspicions about Kamran's involvement with bookies after assessing his performance in the Sydney Test.
Meanwhile, Iqbal Muhammad Ali who heads the National Assembly Standing Committee on Sports blamed the PCB and its Chairman Ijaz Butt for the humiliation Pakistan cricket was facing.
"We and the Senate sports committee had warned that if some players were suspected of having ties with bookies they should be dropped from the team and disciplined.
"But no one paid heed. If these players are now guilty we want to see them behind the bars because this conduct is unacceptable," Ali said.
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this is a routine work by pakistanis cricket team they are execellent indivisual but as soon the name come for them they think that they can do anything in that process the destroy the name of their respected contry their motto comes like this "contry goes shit we comes first" this is only for corrupt pakistani cricketers and their politicians there is only one thing for pakistani cricketers and politicians monry money money they say people dying of floods , earthquack we dont care we only care is for money money money agar unka bas chale to wo apna mulk bi bech denge
shot them in front of all country
Ban them forever, they are real cheaters
shame on you pakistanis.. nothing is working well for your country.. its time for you to giveaway the control to india to run your country.
cricket is no longer is a gentelmen`s game anymore.The people who played this game foe their country is seems to be a history.players are only want money.
ICC have to take tougher decision on players. Now a days cricket is become gamblers game not a spirit of entertainment. Players are greedy for money. They are not representing the nation. They are representing their own. First they have to ban International players who join IPL. IPL is the biggest gambling unit. Players loose their moral attitude and they forget their job. I strongly suggest ICC to take tougher decision with this.
One got up in the morning on Sunday with braking news that " seven top Pakistani cricket players, including newly appointed captain Salman Butt, are under the Scotland yard scanner for their role in 'spot-fixing' in the ongoing fourth Test against England at Lord's.A tabloid has alleged that a Pakistani man Mazhar Majeed, who is now under arrest, had paid bribes to the players to bowl no-balls and wides in the series and the Lord's Test. And they did bowl those no balls/ wides. What a shame...Pakistan cricket is always in news for wrong reasons....i think their sole motto is to win or make tons of money by any means..They damn care hat Cricket is a gentleman's game.Is not it disgraceful that when whole of Pakistan is begging the world for aid after the devastating floods..these gentlemen in whites will stoop to this level...I think in their case no body will mind Taliban type punishment , stoning/ flogging in public. GOD SAVE PAKISTAN CRICKET
We have the most shameless crickter on the earth. These are the traitors not heros.
Who are this " We" ?Paki cricketers are not " ours". Let them stew. In fact I am enjoying this drama!
The match fixing scandal surrounding the pak cricket team is not new to the game - ball to ball fixing is a new bet for the gamblers. The game of cricket, the so called records of the players are or fake and in coming times only the gamblers would be interested in the game. Siot Sunderbani Jammu.
If i am the chairman of PCB.I arrest the all player of cricket team who involved in this matter.Fareez their bank account and ban them life time no excuses.They are not able to play cricket.If they required the money they sailed their mother in future.
Whenever a team performs badly the question of match fixing arises. We have to accept the fact that any team can be brilliant on the field on any given day. The performers should be given their due. Everything should not be looked through tinted glasses, least of all cricket.
One got up in the morning on Sunday with braking news that " seven top Pakistani cricket players, including newly appointed captain Salman Butt, are under the Scotland yard scanner for their role in 'spot-fixing' in the ongoing fourth Test against England at Lord's.A tabloid has alleged that a Pakistani man Mazhar Majeed, who is now under arrest, had paid bribes to the players to bowl no-balls and wides in the series and the Lord's Test. And they did bowl those no balls/ wides. What a shame...Pakistan cricket is always in news for wrong reasons....i think their sole motto is to win or make tons of money by any means..They damn care hat Cricket is a gentleman's game.Is not it disgraceful that when whole of Pakistan is begging the world for aid after the devastating floods..these gentlemen in whites will stoop to this level...I think in their case no body will mind Taliban type punishment , stoning/ flogging in public. GOD SAVE PAKISTAN CRICKET
I would not go that far and say" God save Pakistan cricket".God got better things to do. Good to see them squirm
pakistani player hurt all the pakistani nation who is already in the trouble of flood.i hate these player who did not have any sense about their country.these pleayer should be banded for life time and they have no right to live in beautifull country pakistan.i love pakistan .long live pakistan
Now you dont feel like laughing on this subject. PCB will conduct enquiry, players will be found guilty ( which is a fact). PCB will impose heavy fines and suspension for few months. Then PCB will parden them and they can play for the country in the very next series. We have seen this drama in the recent past and those who have missed it earlier are welcome to see it now !