ICC anti-corruption unit eyes Pakistan's tour of India

KARACHI (Reuters) - Interviews with three Pakistan players conducted by the International Cricket Council's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) related to Pakistan's tour of India at the end of 2007.

A source close to players Younis Khan, Danish Kaneria and Umar Gul told Reuters on Thursday that the questions related to an Indian man and his connection with the Pakistan team.

"The ACSU officer, Alan Peacock, inquired about the nature of the relationship some Pakistani players had with the gentleman," the source said.

"Some gifts he gave them on the recent tour and his background, and how they had come to know him."

The ICC confirmed on Wednesday that the ACSU had interviewed the players at the weekend in Lahore, and clarified in a statement the interviews were not related to any alleged breach of the ICC Code of Conduct.

"He also showed them photographs of the gentleman with some people listed as bookmakers by the ACSU. But the players made it clear to them he had never made any offers to them, nor discussed any match details with them," the source said.

The ACSU officer had also talked to banned fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar over comments made last week in a television interview, the source added.

Shoaib claimed to have been offered money on several occasions to underperform but had rejected all of them for the love of his country.

The source said Shoaib had told the ACSU that the approaches occurred in 1998, a couple of years before the ICC formed its anti-corruption unit.