Pakistani umpire Ghauri to appeal against ban

Lahore: Pakistani international umpire Nadeem Ghauri vowed on Sunday to appeal against a ban imposed for spot-fixing after he was allegedly found willing to give favourable decisions in return for money.

On Saturday, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) banned Ghauri for four years and first-class umpire Anis Siddiqui for three years after an Indian television sting operation in October last year exposing corruption in cricket. But Ghauri said the ban was "one-sided" and vowed to appeal. "It`s a one-sided decision and I am not happy with this decision. They didn`t give me a chance. I think the PCB did it on some pressure. I will appeal that I should get justice," Ghauri, 50, told a news conference. The report, aired days after the World Twenty20 final in Sri Lanka, said it had "exposed" six umpires from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan who were allegedly willing to give decisions in return for money. The International Cricket Council (ICC) immediately suspended the umpires and asked the respective boards to conduct inquiries. Bangladesh Cricket Board last month banned its umpire Nadir Shah for 10 years while the inquiry in Sri Lanka is still pending. Ghauri protested that he only found out about the ban through the media. "At the moment I have not received any documents from the PCB, I came to know through media that I am suspended for four years," said Ghauri. Ghauri had played one Test and six one-day internationals for Pakistan in 1989-90 before turning to umpiring. He officiated at five Tests, 43 one-day and four Twenty20 internationals before he was removed from the ICC Elite panel in 2010. Ghauri questioned the ban, saying he does not come under the PCB. "I have no agreement with the PCB, I am not under PCB`s code of conduct. Is it possible umpires can do it? I don`t know about any other umpire but I think it`s been done on the pressure of the ICC. "In 2009 we received bullets. What benefit we have got? We are not hosting any matches in Pakistan," said Ghauri, referring to the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore during the second Test in which he was the television umpire. Ghauri was also wounded in the attack, which led to the suspension of international cricket in Pakistan. "I need the documentation and after that I will contact the PCB. I am not satisfied with this decision and I am waiting. After this I will send an appeal and will ask them to show me the videos, there should be no one-sided decision. "Anis`s contention is also that injustice has been done to him." AFP