Butt denies fixing claims

Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has denied allegations he was involved in a spot-fixing scam in England, saying “I have not done anything such as this in all my life or cricketing career”.

And he insisted there was no way as a novice skipper he could have improperly influenced any of his players.

Butt and pacemen Mohammad Asif and Mohammed Aamer were provisionally suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for breaking their code of conduct following allegations they’d conspired in the bowling of deliberate no-balls during the fourth Test against England at Lord’s in August.

The trio, who all deny the allegations against them, face a disciplinary hearing in Doha next month that is set to determine their future in cricket.

The ICC, cricket’s global governing body took action after the players were ‘exposed’ as part of an undercover probe by Britain’s News of the World.

Butt in his first major interview since the scandal broke, broadcast on British television’s ‘Special Report on Sky Sport News’ here on Monday, said: “I would like to say obviously I have not done anything such as this in all my life or my cricketing career.

“But apart from this we as players have a code to follow from the ICC which restricts us to talk about this event before the hearing takes place.