Shahid Afridi scorns latest allegations

Thirty-two-year-old Hameed was quoted in yesterday's News of the World, accusing his Pakistan teammates of trying to lose matches for apparent financial gain, although he later released a statement insisting he was only repeating allegations he read in the newspapers.

But Afridi, not part of the current limited overs squad, said: "I think he is 30, 31. But mentally he is 15, 16," he said.

Asked whether Hameed can be unreliable, he added: "Yeah, the people know which type of character he is."

Hameed played in the final two Tests of this summer's series against England, which ended at Lord's. It was during that match that the News of the World claims surfaced alleging Test captain Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were part of a plot to assist illegal bookmakers by arranging to bowl no-balls to order. All three have since been charged and suspended by the International Cricket Council's anti-corruption unit, ACSU.

A follow-up report in the Sunday tabloid yesterday morning quoted opening batsman Hameed, apparently incensed at his teammates' behaviour. Afridi added: "I don't know with whom he was sitting or in which situation he gave this message.

"I don't know, but we have known him for a long time and we can expect anything from him. He has been doing these type of things a lot of times."

Hameed's statement was read out by a spokesman on the steps of the Pakistan High Commission. In it, he explains the circumstances in which he spoke to a News of the World reporter whom he did not recognise as such at the time, because he was under the impression he was being offered a sponsorship deal rather than being asked for an interview.

"Naturally, I was interested in what he had to say, and we began a conversation," he recalls in the statement. "He offered me at least 50,000 for the deal.

"As I saw him as a friend and a potential agent, I naively started to answer his questions."