The International Cricket Council has charged Pakistan Test captain Salman Butt and opening bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif under its anti-corruption code.
The sport's world governing body says the trio had been provisionally suspended from all forms of cricket and related activities until the case was concluded.
Pakistan's withdrawn Butt, Amir and Asif from their one-day team and the anti-corruption chief of cricket's world governing body says the trio have a "really arguable case to answer".
Speaking to a news conference at Lord's in London, Ronnie Flanagan, the chairman of the International Cricket Council's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit, also defended his organisation against accusations that they are powerless to deal with the scourge of match-fixing.
Flanagan reiterated the importance of allowing the criminal investigation that is currently underway to hold precedence over the ICC's internal disciplinary measures.
Police confiscated the three players' mobile phones after allegations in a British newspaper that they took bribes to fix incidents in the final Test against England at Lord's last week.
The ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat says they'll not tolerate corruption in cricket.
The players have 14 days from receipt of the charges to ask for a hearing before an independent anti-corruption tribunal.
