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KINGSTON, Jamaica - Pakistan's cricketers were expected to fly home from the World Cup later on Saturday (local time) with police denying rumours that arrests had been made over the murder of their coach Bob Woolmer.
Two Pakistan team officials were staying behind in Jamaica when the team departed, primarily to deal with issues surrounding Woolmer, said Jamaica deputy police commissioner Mark Shields.
Pakistan team spokesman Pervez Mir said later from their hotel in Montego Bay that assistant manager Asad Mustafa and fitness trainer Murray Stevenson would remain in Jamaica.
Earlier, a police spokesman denied reports that three people had been arrested in connection with the killing.
"No arrests," Karl Angell said. Shields declined to say what direction the investigation was taking.
"There is a lot of speculation, as you probably know, around what happened," he said.
Woolmer's body is being kept in Jamaica pending an inquest.
The Pakistan coach, 58, was found unconscious in his room at the Pegasus Hotel last Sunday and died later in hospital. Police said on Thursday he was strangled and his death was being treated as a murder.
The murder of one of the best coaches in cricket cast a shadow over the World Cup, being played in the Caribbean for the first time.
Police were still awaiting the results of toxicology and histology (body tissue) tests on Saturday.
Shields said high-level talks were underway to ensure cooperation from Pakistan even after the players leave Jamaica.
"I know for a fact that the Ministry of National Security has already spoken to the Pakistan government and we know that two officials from Pakistan are arriving today to be briefed by me on the investigation," Shields told reporters at the hotel where Woolmer was killed.
"So there is good co-operation."
Pakistan were expected to fly home via London.
The seven-week World Cup culminates in the Barbados final on April 28.
- REUTERS
