NEWS

Pakistan team wants to leave Jamaica

March 23, 2007 22:23 IST

Pakistan's World Cup team has asked Jamaican police to allow them to leave the island as soon as possible after the announcement that coach Bob Woolmer was murdered, the team manager said on Friday.

"We want to get back to Pakistan as soon as possible and we would like to catch the first available flight but we are waiting on clearance from the police," Talat Ali told Reuters.

The team flew to Montego Bay from Kingston on Thursday before a police news conference revealed Woolmer, 58, had been strangled at their hotel on Sunday.

Pakistan had been due to leave Jamaica on Saturday.

The Pakistan team will be giving DNA samples on Friday but the team management stressed this was routine in such an inquiry.

The Pakistan Cricket Board chairman said that none of their players was a suspect. Other teams had also been at the Pegasus Hotel in Kingston where Woolmer was murdered and also questioned. 

"The police are questioning everyone in the hotel in the case. Even West Indian captain Brian Lara and official Clive Lloyd have given their statements," Nasim Ashraf told Pakistan television on Friday.

He also said there was no restriction on the movement of the Pakistan team and they had gone to Montego Bay from Kingston to relax after the traumatic events of the last few days.

"Woolmer's death is a big tragedy for us and a terrible loss and the players are very upset. They are not suspects," he said.

Pakistan coach Woolmer, 58, was killed by strangulation, Jamaican police deputy commissioner Mark Shields told a news conference on Thursday in Kingston where the Briton had died four days earlier.

The news sent shock waves around the cricketing world and completely overshadowed the action going on in the 32-year-old tournament which is being played in the Caribbean for the first time.

The seven-week event will culiminate with the Barbados final on April 28.

Source: REUTERS
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