ISLAMABAD, March 27: Former chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Shaharyar M. Khan dismissed the fears of match-fixing being a major factor in the death of coach Bob Woolmer.

“It had become extremely difficult for match-fixing to take place now since the ICC’s Anti Corruption Unit has been constantly watching the teams in all tournaments and particularly in major competitions such as the World Cup,” the ex-PCB chairman said.

“Spot-betting on say a sixer or a dismissal may still be taking place but fixing a whole match is almost impossible these days because for this to happen, an entire team or most of its players have to be bribed which is unlikely to happen today,” he said.

Shaharyar said Woolmer had become a personal friend of his in the last three years and his shocking death came as a huge blow to him. “He used to frequently consult me on various matters but never once did he drop a hint that any Pakistani player or players may be involved in fixing matches.” —APP