Imran Khan backs ICC suspension of players

But he said if the players were found to be involved in betting on the timing of no balls rather than match-fixing they should face a huge fine and suspension rather than a lifetime ban.

Test captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer were released without charge on Friday after being questioned under caution by detectives at Kilburn police station in north-west London.

The ICC has already charged them under their anti-corruption code and provisionally banned them from playing in any match.

Khan said the suspension was the "correct move" for two reasons. "Whenever someone comes under a huge allegation like that, a devastating allegation like that, I think it's only right they should pull out until their name is cleared."

He also said it would have been impossible for the players to play under the "huge pressure" in front of a crowd including the British Pakistani community who were "extremely humiliated and angry".

But Khan said while match-fixing should receive an immediate life-ban, bowling no-balls to order was a lesser crime.

He said: "In my opinion one crime is much bigger than the other. One crime where you actually betray your country by throwing a match is a life ban.

"For sport fixing it could be a punishment where you give the signal that crime does not pay, a huge financial loss to the player and then a limited time ban."

Khan said he felt sorry for 18-year-old fast bowler Mohammad Aamer but there could be no exceptions in terms of a punishment.

He said: "An 18-year-old still knows what is right and what is wrong. In this case my heart goes out for this young cricketer because purely in cricketing terms he is the most exciting young cricketer the cricketing world has seen for a long time."