Pakistan's former test captain Salman Butt and his two opening bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir have been charged with taking bribes by British prosecutors.
News of the decision comes a day before they learn in Qatar whether an independent tribunal set up by cricket's governing body has found them guilty of corruption.
Possible punishment include life bans.
Britain's Crown Prosecution Service says the trio, along with sports agent Mazhar Majeed from Croydon, England, had been charged with conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments and with conspiracy to cheat.
The charges relate to allegations that Mr Majeed accepted money from a third party to arrange for the players to bowl `no balls' during Pakistan's fourth test at Lord's last year.
