Former Pakistan players urge ICC to investigate Shane Warne for predicting tie in India-England match
* By staff writers
* FOX SPORTS
* March 02, 2011 11:25AM
A host of former Pakistan players have urged the International Cricket Council to investigate Shane Warne for correctly predicting India's World Cup match with England would finish in a tie.
Warne was labelled a "genius" by England skipper Andrew Struass after the spin king had predicted the match in Bangalore would finish all square.
Before a ball had been bowled, Warne wrote on his Twitter page: "Looking forward to the game between India and England - should be a cracker. My prediction - a tie!"
Eight hours later, Warne's prophesy became a reality when the two teams finsihed level on 338 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
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After the match, Strauss jokingly shrugged off Warne's prediction as a stroke of genius, but former Pakistan quick Sarfraz Nawaz said the ICC shouldn't be taking the matter lightly.
“Something is definitely up when you start predicting a tie instead of talking about who you think is going to win or lose a match,” Sarfraz told Pakistan news website Dawn.com.
“After all, how common are ties in cricket? It is something that the ICC should definitely be investigating.
“And especially when such a statement comes from someone as controversial as Shane Warne who, apart from his doping scandals and irresponsible statements in the media, has also been in trouble over being accused of taking money from an Indian bookmaker in return for pitch and weather information,” he added.
Sarfraz found an ally in former Pakistan skipper Aamir Sohail, who has accused the ICC of double standards for not investigating the matter.
“When our (Pakistan) players are implicated in match-fixing on the smallest of pretext by the authorities of the game, then why has Warne’s prediction about the ‘tie’ not raised any eyebrows in the ICC?” he asked.
“To me, these are clear double standards from (ICC chief Haroon) Lorgat and Co. Everyone knows that India is the hub of bookies and match-fixers, so we can’t just rule Warne’s comments out as ‘casual remarks’.
"But since this prediction comes from an Australian player it is declared a stroke of genius," he added.
A furious Aamir urged the Pakistan media to demand the matter be investigated by the ICC's Anti Corruption and Security Unit.
Moments after the thrilling conclusion in Bangalore, Warne moved quickly to dismiss any suggestions that he played any part in the result.
Warne tweeted again: "Before u think there was something untoward re prediction of a tie, thought it was going to be a cracker - tie was tongue in cheek, but right."
He then joked that his prediction was was an astonishing stroke of good luck.
"I am taking a lottery ticket out this weekend !!!" he tweeted.
"Can't believe my prediction 7/8 hours ago was right - tie !! Classic, didn't think it would happen but hey-not bad !!!! 2011-my year ! Lol"
Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif, who was a match-fixing whistleblower in the mid 1990s, has defended Warne and questioned how the Australian would benefit from predicting a tied match.
“Warne may have made his prediction one hour or four hours ahead of the result, but I fail to see who stands to gain from the teams drawing as per international betting rules a tie results in a ‘fog’ or ‘void’ where both betting parties have to be returned their money as a settlement by the bookmakers,” he explained.
While dismissing Warne's role in the tie in Bangalore, Rashid did raise questions about Australia's World Cup opener against Zimbabwe in Ahmadebad.
The Australia camp were forced to dismiss a media report on Monday that Shane Watson and Brad Haddin were under investigation from the ICC for their slow start in that match.
“Even if something fishy is going on and Shane Warne really is in contact with bookmakers, then why didn’t he say something when Australia only made 28 runs in their first batting power-play against Zimbabwe at Ahmedabad on Feb 21?” Rashid asked.
“I’m saying this because the market rate for Australia in 10 overs is over 50 runs and it was strange that even after taking the power-play they made just 28,” he said.
