England under fire for appointing Mushtaq

The appointment of Mushtaq Ahmed as England's spin-bowling coach has attracted the displeasure of the International Cricket Council (ICC), who will write to the England and Wales Cricket Board this week to query the decision. The 38-year-old's links to illegal gambling – he was censured and fined by the Qayyum Commission in Pakistan after they published their report into match-fixing in 2000 – make him an unsuitable choice for the position, the ICC believes.

The ICC's chief executive, Haroon Lorgat, along with its Anti-Corruption and Security Unit, will author the letter, asking if the ECB were aware of Mushtaq's link to gambling when they made the appointment last Thursday.

The ECB's appointment of another Pakistani, the fast bowler Waqar Younis, as a bowling coach to work with England's high performance squad in India next month, will also be questioned.

Justice Qayyum said of Mushtaq in 2000: "He has brought the name of the Pakistan team into disrepute by associating with gamblers." The former Sussex man received a 300,000 rupees (£2,370) fine, while Waqar received a 100,000 rupees (£790) fine.

The report recommended that Mushtaq be "kept under close watch and not be given any office of responsibility in the team or on the board", while Waqar "should be kept under observation and investigated". Mushtaq was relieved of his role as assistant coach of Pakistan two years ago after concerns were raised by the ICC.