The three Pakistan cricketers embroiled in illegal betting allegations were axed from the team's tour of England yesterday as they prepared to be grilled about the scandal.

Test captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif were in London to meet Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt and Wajid Shamsul Hasan, Pakistan's ambassador to Britain.

The players were all named in a News of the World report which alleged they were involved in a "spot-fixing" scam by bowling deliberate no-balls in last week's Test match with England in exchange for cash.

The revelations have shocked the cricket world and led to calls that the players involved should be banned for life.

Hasan, however, said yesterday that the three had declared their innocence and vowed to fight the allegations.

"I believe in their innocence," Hasan said.

He said the trio had requested to be withdrawn from Pakistan's remaining fixtures due to the "mental torture" they had suffered since the scandal broke.

They will miss two T20 games and five one-day internationals against England.

Butt, Asif and Amir were questioned by police during the Lord's Test and had their cellphones confiscated as detectives tried to unravel claims the Pakistanis bowled no-balls to order as part of a betting scam.

London-based businessman Mazhar Majeed was arrested but released without charge on police bail following questioning.

Meanwhile Australian Test legend Shane Warne added his voice to the chorus of condemnation, saying authorities should ban the three for life if the players were found guilty.

"If it is true and they have been found (guilty of) match-fixing and throwing games and spot-betting with the no-balls and stuff, they should be thrown out," Warne said.

"It's as simple as that. I don't think there should be any other way to do it. If it's fixed by players, they should be banned for life. Anyone involved should be thrown out."

Former England coach Duncan Fletcher also adopted a hard line, writing in The Guardian newspaper that life bans were the only way to send a clear message to players who compromised the integrity of the sport.

"Treating cricket with disrespect is not a frivolous matter," Fletcher wrote. "There must be no distinction between a player found guilty of rigging an entire match and a player found guilty of deliberately bowling a no ball."