Pakistan cricketers dodge media

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/6504245.stm

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Pakistan's cricket captain and six other players have left Lahore airport without speaking to the media, after returning from a traumatic World Cup.

Inzamam-ul-Haq and his team-mates left through a cargo exit, dodging hundreds of waiting fans and many reporters.

The Pakistan team was humbled by Ireland and eliminated from the World Cup in the Caribbean.

Just hours after the defeat, Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer was murdered in a hotel in Jamaica's capital, Kingston.

Police in Jamaica have said the 58-year-old coach was strangled, and a police investigation is under way.

"Nobody at this stage can be ruled out of the inquiry," deputy police commissioner Mark Shields has told the BBC.

Horrendous time

Captain Inzamam-ul-Haq and players Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Rao Iftikhar, Rana Naved, Umar Gul and Imran Nazir slipped out of Lahore airport through the cargo terminal gate.

They should ban the team. They should ban every player Pakistan cricket fan

The players then drove off in waiting cars with relatives and friends, angering the waiting fans and the reporters.

"They should ban the team. They should ban every player," one of the fans told the BBC.

"Why can't they face us and the people," Pakistani journalist Rizwan Ali told Reuters news agency.

However, four other Pakistani cricketers - who returned to Karachi earlier - faced the media and apologised for their team's poor display.

It has been a horrendous seven months for Pakistan cricket.

In September, the team forfeited the final test against England after allegations of ball-tampering.

Then two of its fast bowlers were suspended after alleged drug-taking.

On 17 March, the team lost to Ireland and eliminated from the World Cup. Less than 24 hours after the defeat coach Woolmer was murdered in his hotel room.

Woolmer inquiry

Police are continuing to review CCTV footage of the hotel in the hope of identifying a suspect.

Bob Woolmer was a former England Test cricketer

They are also examining the hard drive of Woolmer's computer for anything which might establish a motive for the murder.

Detectives believe Woolmer probably knew his killer - or killers - as there were no signs of forced entry into his room and none of his belongings had been stolen.

There has been speculation that the murder is connected to match-fixing allegations which have haunted cricket for the past decade.