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Pak cricket fraternity in a state of shock over Woolmer probe

Pakistan's cricket community was left in a state of shock as the Jamaican police were conducting a full investigation and treating the death of Bob Woolmer as 'suspicious'.

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Cricket World Cup 2007KARACHI: Pakistan's cricket community was left in a state of shock on Wednesday when news filtered through that the Jamaican police and medical experts were conducting a full investigation and treating the death of coach Bob Woolmer as 'suspicious'.

The Jamaican Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mark Shields said in Kingston that Woolmer's death was now being treated as 'suspicious' and there was sufficient information to continue a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.

After initial reports that Pakistani players were reluctant to play their last World Cup game against Zimbabwe on Wednesday, the team's media manager Pervez Mir and the International Cricket Council confirmed the match would be held as scheduled.

"It was a case of whether the players were in the correct state of mind to play the match given the fall out from Woolmer's death which is already a big shock and tragedy for them. But it has been decided they will play the match," manager Talat Ali said.

However, sources in the Pakistan camp said the players were pretty shaken and worried after the press conference from Shields. They, however, said that at this stage police had no suspects.

"It might not be a suspicious death and the further investigations being carried out by the toxicologist and histologist could end up with nothing suspicious. But still at the moment the players are worried and tense," one source said.

He said the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Dr Naseem Ashraf had spoken to the team management and told them to play the match and remain calm.

Ashraf has already submitted his resignation to the Chief Patron of the Board Following the team's dismal show in the World Cup.

"It is a strange situation, we don't know what will transpire in the next 24 hours. But we just want to return home on the first available flight it is getting difficult to remain here," one player said on condition of anonymity.

Pakistan is scheduled to return home on Saturday but if the police investigations yield suspicious circumstances to Woolmer's death, their departure from Kingston could be delayed.

Team sources confirmed there had been talk about Woolmer being murdered throughout the day and at the moment this possiblity could not be ruled out. "Lets hope it is not that," the source said.

Ironically, Pakistan has never had smooth trips to the West Indies in the past also and atleast three times they have been involved in police cases in the Caribbean.

In 1987, leg spinner Abdul Qadir clashed with a spectator and faced legal action while in 1993 Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Mushtaq Ahmed were hauled for illegal possession of marijuana from a beach in Grenada and jailed and the case was only dropped after hectic efforts from the Pakistan board.

In 1997, a Pakistan under-19 cricketer, Zeeshan Pervaz was accused of raping a married woman in Jamaica and had to face a court case before he was released. So the signs are certainly not good for Pakistani players.

"Let us just hope this matter is resolved quickly and it is not a murder or suicide case or else it would be devastating for Pakistan cricket in the long term," former captain Rashid Latif said.

He said that he could feel the distress and concern that must be prevailing in the Pakistan camp at the moment.

"It is a situation no cricketer or official would like to find himself in," he said.

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