ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP):Pakistan's government yesterday urged the international media to go easy on its "traumatised" cricket team following the murder of coach Bob Woolmer.
Woolmer, 58, was found strangled to death at his hotel room in Jamaica on March 18, a day after Pakistan lost to minnows Ireland in the World Cup. The team was allowed to leave the island Saturday after police fingerprinted and took DNA samples from all team members.
Police have not identified any suspects. Pakistan's team is expected to return home late today.
Speculation within the global cricket fraternity over the killing has focused on everyone from crazed fans to a gambling mafia and disgruntled Pakistani team members. The International Cricket Council has said it will investigate whether match-fixing was a motive.
"There are lots of speculations and rumours, some of them very malicious, and we expect the media, the international media particularly, to show some sensitivity," Tasnim Aslam, spokeswoman for the Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, said at a weekly news briefing.
"Our players are already traumatised and they have lost somebody who was very close to them, who was very dear to them," she said. "These speculations and rumours do not help. They aggravate their situation and they do not help the investigations as well."
He was posthumously honoured with one of Pakistan's highest civil awards, the Star of Excellence, last week.
Nasim Ashraf, who tendered his resignation as chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board after the team crashed out of the World Cup, has denied reports of a among the side after the Ireland defeat. The reports fired speculation of a rift between Woolmer and some players.
"There was no argument or heated words exchanged between any member of the team, or captain or coach. Everyone was subdued, they were depressed on the way home in the bus from the ground. Everybody went to their rooms, most people didn't even eat dinner that night and Bob retired to his room as well," Ashraf told a news conference on Friday.
