The allegations centre on no-balls bowled by Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif Investigators from Pakistan are flying to London to examine allegations that some of its cricketers were involved in a betting scam.
The Federal Investigation Agency team will study claims that two players deliberately bowled no-balls during the final test against England at Lord’s.
Former International Cricket Council chief Malcolm Speed says there’s a “fairly compelling case” for Pakistan’s suspension from world cricket.
Police have questioned four players.
The three members of the team from the FIA – Pakistan’s highest law enforcement agency – will join Scotland Yard officers in investigating claims that an undercover News of the World reporter paid cricket agent Mazhar Majeed £150,000 in return for exact details relating to play.
Mr Majeed, 35, has been released on police bail after being arrested on Saturday on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud bookmakers.
Four members of the Pakistan team have also been questioned by detectives, with reports that mobile phones from three of them have been taken away for examination.
The team will now head to Taunton for a one-day warm up match against Somerset on Thursday, before the start of the limited overs series against England.
BBC News correspondent Greg Wood says there are suggestions that the England team would “find it difficult” to face a Pakistan side which included the four players at the centre of the allegations.
Despite growing pressure, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has ruled out calls for action to be taken against them until after the police investigation.
‘Ruthless actions’
But its president, Sharah Pawar, warned: “If, unfortunately, there is a truth (in the allegations) then ruthless actions will be taken.”
The News of the World says it paid Mr Majeed for correctly providing advance details of when three no-balls would be bowled, in order that people could make a fortune out of betting on such an outcome.
Bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif, along with their captain Salman Butt and wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal, have all been quizzed by Scotland Yard officers.
Their team manager, Yawar Saeed, insisted cricket was not “institutionally corrupt” in his country, and said the claims were unproven.
Waiting for police report: International Cricket Council president Sharad Pawar But Malcolm Speed, a former chief executive of the ICC, thinks there is already a serious case for Pakistan to be banned from world cricket after further fixing allegations were levelled at several members of the team.
He said there was provision in the ICC’s anti-corruption code to suspend a whole nation, and that if if these latest allegations were proven and corruption found to be endemic, then they would have little choice.
“I think that’s (suspension) an option. It’s serious,” Speed told the Australian radio station, ABC.
“It looks as though it is endemic that several of the team members are involved and have been for some time. So perhaps they need a rest. It looks a fairly compelling case.”
“The game cannot afford for this to be swept under the carpet ”
Jonathan Agnew BBC cricket correspondentJonathan Agnew columnEngland finish off tarnished TestCricket betting: Your comments
Former England captain Michael Vaughan told BBC Radio 5 live Breakfast: “Any player who is proven guilty … should be banned for life, because unless you make a drastic decision on people who do this kind of stuff, I think it will carry on going on for ever and ever.”
His successor as skipper, Andrew Strauss, said the allegations had “removed the gloss” from his side’s victory which completed a 3-1 series win.
“The mood was rather sombre. Cricket was in the headlines for the worst of reasons. I can’t really comment on the specific allegations, but clearly it has been a tough day.”
After the match, Pakistan’s captain, Mr Butt, told a news conference he and his team-mates had “given 100%”.
When asked about his own situation, he said: “These are just allegations and anybody can stand out and say anything about you, doesn’t make them true.”
‘Bow its head in shame’
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Yousef Raza Gilani said the allegations made his country “bow its head in shame” and his sports minister Ijaz Jakhrani promised life bans for any guilty players
Pakistan’s team manager Yawar Saeed: “No allegations are true until they are proved”
Former Pakistan cricket captain Imran Khan told the BBC News Channel: “If, and remember these are still allegations and we have not yet heard the other side, these are true then it’s probably the biggest setback for Pakistan cricket.”
A joint statement issued by the ICC, England and Wales Cricket Board and Pakistani Cricket Board stressed that no player nor team official had been arrested.
Mr Amir bowled two of the three no-balls which led to the investigation – one on Thursday and one on Friday.
The 18-year-old became the youngest bowler in Test history to take 50 wickets during day two of the second Test at Lord’s.
His teammate, Mr Asif, bowled one of the three no-balls in question on Thursday, the first day of the Test at Lord’s. The 27-year-old made his Test debut in 2005 and is currently ranked third in the ICC bowling rankings.
Mr Butt was appointed Pakistan’s Test captain in July. He made his debut back in 2003 but was in and out of the side for several years until nailing down a regular place in 2007.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.