Abbas to miss ICC hearing

Former Pakistan captain and manager for the recent tour of England, Zaheer Abbas will not attend the upcoming ICC hearing, addressing ball tampering and related charges laid again Inzamam-ul-Haq. The PCB listed Abbas as a potential witness in the matter, alongside players Danish Kaneria and Umar Gul. It has now been revealed, however, that none of the three plan to attend to hearing.

“I am not required to appear as a witness in the hearing and according to my information, Gul and Kaneria are not needed to appear either,” Abbas told APP.

The statement was confirmed as viable by PCB director of board operations, Abbas Zaidi. Zaidi revealed to the Karachi-based daily Dawn that none of the three are required to appear in person.

“In fact, the lawyers have now sought written statements of these three individuals. Now apart from Inzamam, the PCB chairman and Bob Woolmer will be present when the hearing begins next week,” Zaidi added.

Abbas was last week replaced by Talat Ali as Pakistan manager for the upcoming Champions Trophy. The PCB attributed the move to the involvement of Abbas as a witness in the hearings, rather than an indictment of his capability in the role.

Abbas’ removal was seen by many as a result of his lack of action in the recent Oval Test scandal, which resulted in Pakistan being deemed to have forfeited and subsequently lost a match they seemed certain to win. This latest development appears to confirm such presumptions.