BCB to probe allegations of umpire corruption by a TV sting

New Delhi: Bangladesh Cricket Board has constituted a three-member committee to investigate into the allegations of fixing T20 matches by umpires as claimed by a television sting operation, a report said on Monday.

According to Cricinfo, the BCB has formed a committee comprising its directors Sirajuddin Mohammad Alamgir and Mahmood Jamal, and its head of anti-corruption and security Mesbahuddin Serniabat to probe into the "corrupt conduct by umpires under its jurisdiction". The BCB, along with the ICC and the cricket boards of Sri Lanka and Pakistan, had already agreed not to appoint any of the umpires named by India TV in domestic and international matches until inquiry is conducted. Bangladesh`s Nadir Shah, the only umpire shown in the sting to have met the undercover reporters in person, returned to Dhaka this afternoon. He said he was ready to speak to the investigation committee whenever he is called. "I will definitely comply with the investigation committee. BCB have done so much for me so far, so I have to tell them my side of the story. I have some evidence that I will turn in," Shah was quoted as saying by the website. Shah, who has officiated in 40 ODIs and three Twenty20 Internationals, said, "I can`t comment on what will happen to me and what is there in the future until the investigation is over. I have a clean record and have never participated in any sort of match-fixing. Shah said he had gone to India in connection with a deal regarding umpiring assignment in the Sri Lanka Premier League and he met the undercover reporters in Delhi. "I went there to complete a deal to umpire in Sri Lanka Premier League. I was taken from the airport to a hotel, where I was introduced to a guy. There were a few others in the room. I felt threatened by what they were saying and as a result I went along with what they were asking me to do. "I knew it was wrong and a few days later I was told by my agent that they were not the sort of people I should talk to. They called me a few times afterwards but I said I don`t want to be disturbed." Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid Saikat is the other umpire who was shown to have had a Skype conversation with India TV. He is also likely to be questioned by the committee. The channel showed video clips purportedly taken by their undercover reporters in which the umpires were shown to be allegedly willing to give certain decisions in exchange for money. The six umpires, who were shown in the TV sting operation willing to fix matches, are Nadeem Ghauri and Anees Siddiqui of Pakistan, Shah of Bangladesh and Gamini Dissanayake, Maurice Winston and Sagara Gallage of Sri Lanka. Ghauri and Shah have officiated at the international level while the other four were first class umpires. PTI