LONDON,  (Reuters) – The International Cricket  Council’s (ICC) anti-corruption unit has been asked to submit a  report within the next three days on an investigation into  alleged corruption within the Pakistan team.

British police have confiscated the mobile phones of test  captain Salman Butt and pace bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad  Asif after a newspaper report alleging players had been bribed  to fix incidents in the fourth test against England.

Tour manager Yawar Saeed said the trio plus wicketkeeper  Kamran Akmal had been questioned by police at the team’s London  hotel.

ICC president Sahrad Pawar told reporters yesterday the  issue had been discussed in a teleconference which included the  head of the council’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit Ravi  Sawani, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt and his  English counterpart Giles Clarke.

“We at the ICC are waiting for definite information from the  PCB and our own anti-corruption unit. We hope to get something  in the next two to three days’ time and that information would  lead to appropriate action, if required,” he said.

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said in a statement  anti-corruption officials were assisting London metropolitan  police with their separate criminal investigation.

“Make no mistake, once the process is complete, if any  players are found to be guilty, the ICC will ensure that the  appropriate punishment is handed out. We will not tolerate  corruption in this great game,” Lorgat said.

Yesterday  the police said they had released on bail a  35-year-old man who had been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy  to defraud bookmakers following the report in The News of the  World newspaper.

According to the report Mazhar Majeed, an agent who claimed  to represent 10 Pakistan players including Butt, said Amir and  Asif had bowled three no-balls between them by pre-arrangement  in the fourth test against England which finished on Sunday.

Despite the growing criticism against Butt, Asif and Amir,  former Pakistan captain Imran Khan said the trio should be given  a fair hearing.

“I think justice demands that these players be given a  chance to defend themselves and clear themselves. It is unfair  to assume these players are guilty,” Imran told reporters in  Islamabad.

Pawar ruled out the possibility of Pakistan cutting short  their tour of England.

“It is the desire of the ICC and the cricket boards of  England and Pakistan that the game should continue,” he said.

The team arrived in Taunton in west England yesterday where  they will play a warm-up game against Somerset on Thursday  before starting a seven-match one-day series against England  from Sunday.

A source in the team told Reuters Pakistan could release any player who was under investigation. The one-day team is led by Shahid Afridi who was scheduled to have talks with Butt and  manager Yawar Saeed yesterday.

“The meeting on Monday is important because obviously some  players in the squad who are not under investigation are feeling  uncomfortable with the whole situation leading up to the one-day  series,” said the source, who declined to identified.

“The prospect of releasing the players who are under  investigation from the one-day squad and replacing them is under  consideration and will be discussed at the meeting.”

The newspaper report also cast doubt on the second test  between Pakistan and Australia in Sydney this year when  Australia made a remarkable comeback to win by 36 runs after  overcoming a 206-run first-innings deficit.