The International Cricket Council (ICC) has launched an investigation into the Friday's one-day international between England and Pakistan. The sport's governing body said Saturday that the decision was taken after the ICC received information from a British newspaper on the scoring pattern in the match. ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said in a statement: "We, therefore, feel it is incumbent upon us to launch a full enquiry into this particular game although it is worth pointing out at this stage that we are not stating as fact that anything untoward has occurred. "Only in the fullness of the investigation can that be established," he added. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board has refuted all the allegations of wrong-doing in the third ODI of the Pakistan and England series played at the Oval on Friday. PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt said: "These are meaningless allegations without any proof. I haven't read the report so I can't comment any further." "The ICC has not got in touch with us on any such accusation. That is total imagination. There is no truth in it," he added. British tabloid The Sun has alleged that the third Pakistan-England was fixed and has reportedly passed on the 'evidence' to officials of the ICC Anti-Corruption and Security Unit. The paper stated that parts of the match which Pakistan won by 23 runs, were fixed by Pakistani players. Cricket chiefs launched an investigation during England's one-day match against Pakistan yesterday amid fears it was fixed by an illegal betting syndicate. The ICC acted after The Sun probe exposed evidence apparently showing that bookies knew details of Pakistan's innings before the match even began. Incredibly, it comes after three Pakistani stars had already been sent home in disgrace amid claims of match-fixing. The new investigation will centre on suspicious scoring patterns in Pakistan's innings and on two suspect overs during the Friday's match at The Oval. Illegal bookies in India and Dubai apparently knew in advance what would happen so they could launch a betting coup. But The Sun's undercover team was able to pass details to the ICC inspectors before the match began. The cricket chiefs then watched as Pakistan's score mirrored the target that bookies had been told in advance by a fixer. It is not thought that the overall result was fixed, only scoring rates in parts of Pakistan's innings. Pakistan eventually won by 23 runs. The scandal centres on whether the match was manipulated by underground bookies to cash in on a popular bet among punters in India, where betting is illegal. Gamblers like to bet on how many runs will be scored in each ten-over session of an innings. Bookies cash in by knowing in advance what will happen, then offering odds that tempt punters to back the wrong result - or by placing bets with other bookies backing what they know will happen. The dramatic probe began after The Sun received details of calls between a notorious Dubai-based match fixer and a Delhi bookie. We alerted ICC corruption busters led by ex-police chief Sir Ronnie Flanagan. After a frantic round of calls the ICC decided to issue a general warning to Pakistan's players, but by then the game had started. The Sun is withholding details of the alleged fix while the investigation continues - but we can reveal that horrified ICC chiefs launched their investigation before the Pakistan innings had even finished. The probe centres on an individual within the team camp who is believed to be the ringleader, taking money from bookies and ensuring their orders are carried out. ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat last night thanked The Sun for its investigation and pledged tough action on any players found guilty. The Sun can reveal the ICC is also investigating whether the same cartel rigged a Test between Pakistan and Australia in July after allegedly paying players 700,000. Pakistan's Test captain Salman Butt, 25, and bowlers Mohammad Asif, 27, and Mohammad Amir, 18, flew home after the News of the World revealed no-balls were deliberately sent down in the Lord's Test. Wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal is also under investigation. All deny any wrongdoing.