May 11, 2007	Friday	Rabi-us-Sani 23, 1428

NEW DELHI, May 10: The Bob Woolmer murder took a new twist on Thursday when it was revealed that two champagne bottles, reportedly mixed with poison, were given to Woolmer by bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed during the World Cup.

A leading television chanel of Pakistan quoted Pakistan's media manager for the World Cup, P J Mir as saying that Mushtaq, apparently, received the bottles from some other person and passed them onto Woolmer in the presence of team manager, Talat Ali in Kingston, Jamaica.

The bottles were recovered from the Pegasus hotel room of Woolmer who died under mysterious circumstances a day after Pakistan's shocking World Cup defeat at the hands of Ireland. Pakistan failed to qualify to the Super Eights stage of the World Cup.Speaking to media on Thursday morning, Mir said: "There were two bottles given to Mushtaq but since he doesn't drink, he sent it to Woolmer. Mushtaq cannot be looked at as a suspect because gifting of champagne doesn't mean anything."

According to reports in British media, a rare weedkiller was mixed with the champagne bottles, one of which was left untouched.

The tv channel also reported that Talat Ali and the Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman, Dr Nasim Ashraf declined to comment on the news item.

According to the channel, Mir stated that Mushtaq passed on the two bottles to Woolmer and both knew about the identity of the person who handed over the bottles to the bowling coach. Mir, however, added that Woolmer used to drink beer and he rarely consumed champagne.— Agencies