DLA Piper to field defence for Pakistani cricket captain

DLA Piper's sports team has been drafted in by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to represent captain Inzamam-ul-Haq against charges brought by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The ICC has accused Inzamam of ball-tampering and bringing the game into disrepute following the early finish of the Fourth Test at the Brit Oval on 20 August.

The PCB held an emergency legal beauty parade after the incident, instructing DLA Piper immediately after talking to the firm and calling off the other law firms.

DLA Piper corporate defence senior associate Was-eem Khokhar worked his contacts to get the firm seen first.

A five-lawyer team, led by sports specialist Mark Gay, will defend Inzamam against the allegations. Corporate defence director Simon Airey is also part of the team.

Gay said the corporate defence lawyers are an important part of the team. "Simon's skills are in investigation work and defence, and these skills will be very useful."

The legal team will base Inzamam's defence on video evidence from the 24 cameras at the ground and interviews with key players involved in the match.

"We need to get a minute-by-minute chronological account of what happened between 4pm and 8pm," said Gay. "Recreating the past like this is terribly difficult and time-intensive."

Gay heads DLA Piper's sports group and represented the England and Wales Cricket Board on England's obligation to play Zimbabwe in the last Cricket World Cup.

David Pannick QC at Blackstone Chambers is advising the ICC.