Akram quits to fight allegations

LONDON: Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram retired from international cricket today following match-fixing allegations against him and has hired a retired judge to help him fight out the case. Akram, who has captained Lancashire to two English titles this season, also slammed Pakistan Cricket Board Chief Executive Majid Khan for heading a witch hunt against him. “The match-fixing allegations are a conspiracy, especially within the board,” he said today.

Sachin for Toronto

KUALA LUMPUR: Within hours of losing the last league match to Australia here, nine Indian cricketers left Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday night for Chennai. Among them, Sachin Tendulkar, Ajay Jadeja, Anil Kumble and Robin Singh are believed to be proceeding thereafter to Delhi enroute to Toronto for the Sahara Cup against Pakistan. Though the BCCI has denied such a possibility, one of the officials in the contingent here said the four stars’ may indeed go to Toronto. The decision, it seems,was taken in consultation with the BCCI bigwigs. Apparently, Mohammed Azharuddin, skipper in Toronto, also wanted the four main players to be with the team at least for the last two matches.

Uranium seizure

VARANASI: Police here have seized one kg of brown powder’, suspected to be uranium, from four persons, including a Provincial Armed Constabulary jawan.