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Summary
Australia captain Ricky Ponting thinks cricket can't afford to suspend Pakistan from the international game amid the latest match-fixing scandal. Pakistan Test captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer face charges from the International Cricket Council after a British tabloid newspaper sting implicated them in spot-fixing during a test against England. The paper alleged the players were secretly paid to deliver no-balls at set times. Other results involving Pakistan have been questioned in the wake of the allegations. Some critics have called for Pakistan's suspension from international cricket, but Ponting told Australia's Fox Sports news on Wednesday that to ban a whole team would probably be a bit unfair. The world game doesn't really need that (and) can't really afford that to happen, he said. I know the world game can't afford these sorts of scandals happening in the game either. Let's just start with the people we know about at the moment and make sure they're dealt with in the appropriate manner. The allegations have cast even more doubt on the outcome of a Test between Australia and Pakistan in January. Australia won the Test in an improbable comeback and swept the series 3-0. The Australians played Pakistan on neutral turf in England recently, and the series was drawn 1-1. The Australians travel to India for a two-Test series next month, then host England in five Test matches starting in November.
