Bouquets and brickbats greet “tainted trio” on return to Pakistan

LAHORE - The three Pakistani cricketers- Salman Butt, Mohammed Asif and Mohammed Aamer- implicated in spot-fixing allegations in last month’s final Test against England, have returned to Pakistan to mixed slogans by fans.

Tens of people, including fans of the three cricketers, thronged Lahore airport at the time of their arrival to receive the players.

Some of the fans of Salman Butt were holding banners and placards with pro-Salman slogans while many others carried shoes to hurl at the accused players, The News reports.

However, airport authorities, sensing the gravity of the situation, managed to sneak the players out of the airport through the backdoor, sources said.

The trio, who have been provisionally suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on charges of alleged spot-fixing, were granted permission by the Metropolitan Police to fly back home on Friday, as they agreed to return to assist the inquiry in ‘due course.’

The cricketers were left out of the squad for the two Twenty20 internationals at Cardiff and for the forthcoming five-match one-day series prior to the ICC provisionally suspending them while their own investigation into the claims is ongoing. (ANI)