'Spot fixing suspect' Asif dumped from Malayalam film

London, Sep 2: Pakistani fast bowler Mohammad Asif, who is under scrutiny for ‘spot-fixing’ allegations in England, has been dropped from a Malayalam movie, its director has said.

Kaithapram Damodaran Namboodiri said that Asif was scheduled to act in his directorial debut Mazhavillilinattamvare (Till the edge of the rainbow).

Asif, who was signed up after a screen test in London, was supposed to come down to Kerala for a 25-day shooting stint next month. 

“He is a friendly and nice guy. I was shocked to hear about the allegations, so I dropped him from the film,” The BBC quoted Namboodiri, as saying.

“He was to play a Pakistani cricketer who comes down to India to hold a coaching camp for Indian players,” he added.

The director further said that he is now seeking a replacement for Asif.

“I have the names of two or three Pakistani cricketers in my mind,” Namboodiri said.

Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram was initially offered the role, but he had declined.

Asif, along with captain Salman Butt and Mohammad Amir, has been implicated in a 1,50,000 pound ‘spot fixing’ scandal following a sting operation by British tabloid ‘News of The World’.

The tabloid claims that Asif and Amir had bowled deliberate ‘no-balls’ at precise points in the Lord’s Test against England.