Pakistan cricket boss calls for ICC life ban for match-fixing

``It is the right time for the ICC to design strict laws to clean the sport from the curse,'' Khan said in an interview with the Associated Press of Pakistan published Friday.

The issue is expected to be discussed during the meeting of the ICC executive board in Christchurch on January 10.

Match-fixing and gambling allegations have plagued international cricket for years, leading to the current investigation by a judicial commission in Pakistan.

Former Pakistani captain Salim Malik was accused by Australians Shane Warne and Mark Waugh of ofering them money to throw a match four years ago in Karachi. He has denied the allegation.

The situation took a new turn when the two Australian players recently confessed to taking money from an Indian bookmaker for providing information about weather and pitch conditions in Sri Lanka in 1994.

Khan said the game's ruling body must tackle the issue after a thorough inquiry and debate and take appropriate decisions to root out the ``ugly practice.''

``No matter which country the cricketers are from, if found guilty they should be banned for life besides facing heavy penalties,'' he said.

The Pakistan Cricket Board would frame new rules if the ICC passed new regulations, he said.

Khan criticised the Australian Cricket Board for hushing up for years what Warne and Waugh had done.

``It is very unfortunate the way ABC covered up this issue and just fined the guilty cricketers and after four years it revaled the story which has shocked the world,'' he said.