LONDON — Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Amir is being investigated by the ICC after playing in a minor English league match last week despite being banned from the sport on corruption charges.
The 19-year-old Amir played in a Surrey Cricket League game for Addington 1743, a village team based in a south London suburb that didn't realize he was ineligible to play for five years.
"The suspension clearly states that he cannot take part in any cricket-related activities," ICC spokesman Samiul Hasan told The Associated Press. "We are aware of the reports and are investigating the matter. Until our investigation is complete, we have no further comment."
Amir was introduced to Addington, which has less than 20 members, through captain Ijaz Raja and a team sponsor last week ahead of Saturday's match against St. Lukes.
"We've got a couple of guys who have contacts with people from the Pakistan team. They said it would be good if he could play, and it was a good day out for him and us," club secretary Raheal Shafi said. "I got the news from our captain on Friday morning and we spoke to the league secretary, Robin Ford, on Friday just to make sure everything was fine ... and he was fine about it.
"He said there shouldn't a be a problem. Robin Ford is associated with St. Lukes and he is one of their members. The opposition were St. Lukes and they did not have any objections."
Amir, a left-arm fast bowler, took four wickets and scored 60 runs in the match.
Amir and Pakistan teammates Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif were banned for at least five years by the International Cricket Council in February for accepting money from a businessman to bowl predetermined no-balls during a test in England last year.
They are also set to face a criminal trial in London in October after being charged with conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments along with their agent, Mazhar Majeed.
The match on Saturday was under the jurisdiction of the England and Wales Cricket Board.
"The ECB has been notified of an allegation that Mohammad Amir, the Pakistan international cricketer who is the subject of ongoing criminal proceedings in the English courts, played in a Surrey Cricket League Division 1 cricket match," the ECB said in a statement. "The ECB is investigating and liaising with the ICC as appropriate, but in light of the ongoing criminal proceedings, the ECB will not be making any further public comment about this matter."
Shafi, who has been a member of Addington since 1991, said he thought Amir was only prohibited from playing professional cricket.
"We are nowhere near test or county standard and there was no money involved," Shafi said. "His level of cricket is obviously much higher than our level of cricket."
When he wasn't playing Saturday, Amir gave advice about how the Addington players could improve their batting and bowling.
Shafi said his teammates watched clips of Amir bowling for Pakistan on the internet in front of him.
"He was very down to earth," Sahfi said. "He was relaxing and sitting on the grass and talking about life in Pakistan, life in England and where he has travelled." AP
