Dubai: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday suspended six umpires, including Nadeem Ghauri and Anees Siddiqui of Pakistan, Nadir Shah of Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka's Gamini Dissanayake, Maurice Winston and Sagara Gallage, pending an inquiry into the corruption claims made against them by an Indian news channel.

According to a press release by ICC, ICC and its relevant Full Member Boards have agreed not to appoint any of the umpires named in a sting operation recently conducted by India TV to any domestic or international cricket matches pending the outcome of the ongoing investigations into the allegations made.  

“The officials named are not contracted by the ICC and those Boards who employ and nominate the umpires directly will conduct the investigations as a matter of urgency,” said the statement.

The sting operation by India TV had showed these six umpires expressing their willingness to give wrong decisions during a game for monetary benefits.

Meanwhile Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice president Rajiv Shukla welcomed ICC's move and said it was only right for the sport's international body to take action against the umpires. "It is good that they have taken action. It is apt that ICC takes action against umpires rather than an individual board," said Shukla.

Meanwhile the umpires have refuted the allegations, calling the sting operation to be fake. Ghauri, one of the accused,  told reporters in Lahore that he spoke to the undercover reporter, who presented himself as a member of a sports management company, with regard to umpiring in the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL).  “I repeatedly told him that such matters are not discussed on phone. I will take legal action once the board also completes its inquiry,” he added.

By Indian Sports News Network