England off spinner Graeme Swann has said that the upcoming ODI series against Pakistan must go on as scheduled,

ODI series must go on: Swann
Tuesday, August 31, 2010, 17:10 [IST]


England off spinner Graeme Swann has said that the upcoming ODI series against Pakistan must go on as scheduled, despite the alleged spot-fixing scandals involving several players in the Pakistan squad.

Swann says he has no problem playing against any Pakistani cricketer or the Pakistan national team, but was against playing accused skipper Salman Butt or fast-bowlers Mohammad Aamir and Mohammad Asif.

Latest media reports suggests that the Pakistani Cricket Board (PCB) might take stern action against the accused cricketers and remove them from the squad for two T20 and five ODI matches to take place.

"I am very keen for the one-dayers to go ahead. I love one-day cricket and, with nothing proved, I have no problem whatsoever who I play against. What I want most is that cricket gets back in the papers for the right reasons - for someone to score an unbelievable hundred or produce a great spell of bowling," The Sun quoted Swann as saying.

"It''s terrible for cricket to have something like this hanging over it. We want a clean game and that''s what the spectators deserve," he added.

Earlier on Monday, the Pakistani team travelled by coach from London to Taunton, where they will play a one-day practice match against Somerset on Thursday before the first T20 match in Cardiff in Sunday.

The Pakistani team has now been joined by captain/all-rounder Shahid Afridi and paceman Shoaib Akhtar for the remainder of the tour.