Bailed Raza says he was ‘set up’

Former Pakistan off-spinner Akram Raza said yesterday that he had been set up after he was arrested over betting on lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) matches.

The 46-year-old was arrested at the weekend in a police raid on a gang of bookmakers reportedly illegally taking bets on IPL matches.

Raza, who played nine Tests and 49 one-dayers for Pakistan between 1989 and 1995, was released on bail on Monday but will have to appear in a Lahore court later this week.

“It was a set-up against me,” Raza told AFP.

“I have nothing to do with the illegal betting in IPL and visited a friend’s office where police came and arrested us.”

Police said they acted on a tip-off and recovered telephones, computers, televisions and a large amount of money.