Marlon Samuels ... discussed team strategy with an illegal bookmaker during the recent limited-overs series in India. - File

JAMAICA AND West Indies middle-order batsman, Marlon Samuels, could be forced out of the West Indies World Cup squad after allegations came yesterday that he provided information to an Indian bookmaker.

Police allegedly taped phone conversations in which Samuels discussed team strategy with an illegal bookmaker during the recent limited-overs series in India.

According to media reports from India, Amitesh Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police in Nagpur, where India and the West Indies played the opening match on January 21, said yesterday that information on the alleged conversations between Samuels and Mukesh Kochchar had been passed to the anti-corruption unit of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the India cricket board.

Though the West Indies Cricket Board acting chief cricket operations officer, Tony Howard, said the region's governing body could not do anything until it got official word from either the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) or the ICC, Samuels could be left out of the World Cup team to facilitate an investigation.

"We have not been contacted by either the BCCI or the ICC on the matter," Howard told The Gleaner yesterday. "Nothing can happen until we get something official," he emphasised.

Deputy Commissioner Kumar said: "It is not actually a match-fixing incident. It is basically certain confidential team details that were passed on to a cricket bettor. There were certain promises made but we cannot reveal them now."

It was claimed, Samuels provided details of the West Indies batting line-up and bowling order for the first match but there was no evidence of financial dealings.

The conversation seemed to be in "violation of the ICC's code of conduct for players", Kumar was quoted by the Press Trust of India as saying.

Samuels' mother, Lunan, was yesterday shocked to hear the news about her son. "It is surprising to me and no, I don't believe it," she told Associated Press.

According to the Cricinfo website, Samuels, was quoted by Times Now, an Indian TV channel, as saying he knew Kochhar but was not aware that he was a bookie.

Kumar said police received information ahead of the match about a cricketer being in touch with an illegal bookmaker for two days.

In the match, Samuels made 40 from 60 balls and bowled 10 overs for 53 runs in a high-scoring encounter, won by India.