Pakistan ex-paceman Sarfraz Nawaz complains of death threat

CRICKET: KARACHI, Oct 2 (AFP) - Former Pakistan paceman Sarfraz Nawaz, who has campaigned against corruption in cricket, claimed Friday he had been threatened with death over allegations of match-fixing.

The 61-year-old said he had lodged a complaint with police in the usually sleepy capital Islamabad.

"While walking in a park in Islamabad last week, two men shouted from behind that I should stop giving statements and threatened to kill me if I turn round and look at them," Nawaz told AFP. "I have lodged a report with the police and they are investigating," said Nawaz, who played 55 Tests and 177 one-day matches for Pakistan.

"I have never cared for any post, nor do I care for these threats. I will continue my fight against the corruption and am ready to contribute in efforts to free our beloved game of cricket from all such corruption."

The former paceman has levelled serious allegations against Pakistan and international players in the past.

Most recently and ahead of Pakistan's latest scandal-hit tour of England, Nawaz predicted some matches would be fixed and claimed that elements within the Pakistani team would be involved.

The tour was marred by spot-fixing allegations, with Test captain Salman Butt, fast bowler Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer accused of taking money for bowling deliberate no-balls in the Lord's Test against England in August. Veena Malik, an ex-girlfriend of Asif, also claimed last month that she had received death threats after giving evidence of Asif's involvement in match fixing to International Cricket Council (ICC) officials.

The ICC is also investigating Pakistan's one-day match against England at The Oval after British tabloid The Sun claimed the scoring pattern of the visiting team was pre-arranged with the book-makers. Nawaz said Pakistan needed to take major steps to end the controversy.

"Pakistan cricket has suffered badly and the only way to eradicate this malpractice is to take stringent measures otherwise it will continue to haunt us."