NEW DELHI, Oct 18: The Indian cricket board said on Wednesday it favoured lifting the life ban for match-fixing imposed on former skipper Mohammad Azharuddin in 2000.

“The general opinion is that Azhar had undergone enough punishment and he should be allowed to lead his life like cricketers who had faced similar charge in other countries but are going about as if they had done no wrong,” Ratnakar Shetty, the board's administrative officer, said in a statement.Azharuddin and three other Indian players were punished by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) after its inquiry into a federal police probe on corruption in the game.

Azharuddin has denied the charges and has petitioned the court to get the ban overturned.

“It must be clarified there is a feeling among Indian board members that what the board did when the scandal broke might have been correct, even if it was a knee-jerk reaction.

“In retrospect, they feel the board had been too harsh on its players considering the way the other boards went about protecting the guilty.”

The Indian has board invited Azhar to its function in Mumbai on Nov 4 where former India skippers would be welcomed, but the move has been criticised by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed has said president Percy Sonn would take a decision on attending the event after a two-day executive meeting in Mumbai from Nov 3.

Speed told reporters on Monday it was unfair to compare Azhar with South Africa's Herschelle Gibbs or Australian Shane Warne – who were both punished by their boards.

“The point of distinction as I understand is it was alleged and proved Azhar was actively involved in match-fixing,” he said. “We need to be careful that we compare cases with cases.”

Gibbs was suspended for six months in 2000 by the South African board after admitting before an inquiry commission he agreed to under-perform in exchange for money but did not.

The inquiry followed a criminal probe by Indian police into corruption in the game during South Africa's 2000 test tour of India, leading to a life ban on then skipper Hansie Cronje.

Leg spinner Warne and team mate Mark Waugh were fined by the Australian board in 1995 after admitting they provided pitch information to a bookie in exchange for an unspecified sum.

The BCI said Speed's comments were “highly disappointing”, claiming the ICC and other national boards had let off their players lightly.“Where is comparable zero tolerance?” Shetty said.—Reuters