Pakistan Cricket team in New Match fixing row
Match-fixing has returned to haunt Pakistan cricket with the parliamentary committee on sports summoning PCB chief Ejaz Butt, captain Younis Khan
Younis Khan and coach Intikhab Alam to seek explanation for the team’s Champions Trophy loss to Australia after allegations of deliberate underperformance.
A senior parliamentarian, who heads the national assembly standing committee on sports, has accused the team of deliberately losing to Australia in the Champions Trophy in a group match.
Jamshed Khan Dasti said the standing committee would summon Butt, Younis and Alam shortly to explain the team’s performance in the Champions Trophy.
“There is evidence that the team lost the match to Australia on purpose. It underperformed. Then against New Zealand also there are signs the team didn’t want to win,” Dasti alleged.
“We have been told by some respected and senior people and we are also trying to collect evidence that there might have been some hanky panky in the match against Australia and New Zealand,” Dasti claimed.
Pakistan’s last-ball defeat to Australia put India out of the Champions Trophy while their defeat to New Zealand in the semifinal came as a surprise to many.
Dasti lashed out at Butt and the team for disappointing the nation.
“I can say we lost to Australia on purpose. And the team’s performance against New Zealand was zero. We will get to the bottom of this whole affair and find out the truth the nation must know the truth of what happened in South Africa,” he said.
Dasti said the standing committee would not allow corruption in cricket.
“We want to see changes in the board and Butt must go because as it is he is too old for this job,” he added.
Dasti said he would issue a notification in two days time summoning the captain and coach and board Chairman to explain themselves before the committee.
“We have heard a lot about match fixing allegations some people are telling us things and we also sense team didn’t perform well on purpose. So we want to find out the truth,” he said.
Neither Younis nor Intikhab were available for their reaction to the serious allegations by Dasti which is likely to set off a whole new controversy in Pakistan cricket.
cricketselector said:
I was quite stunned when i read the news that Chairman of National Assembly’s standing Committee on Sports Jamshed Dasti who belongs to ruling party i.e Pakistan Peoples Party has accused Pakistan Cricket team of match fixing against its pool match in ICC Champions Trophy against Australia.
He is also suspicious of Pakistan Cricket team loosing the semi-final against New Zealand deliberately. Both of these accuses don’t make any sense. Pakistani batting line didn’t perform well in both of the matches and in the match against Australia Pakistan lost on the very final ball of the match. Although i am not happy with the performance of Pakistan cricket team against New Zealand like any other cricket fan yet, accusing the Cricket team of match-fixing is really ridiculous.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
cricketselector said:
even if it was fixed , dont you investigate before you start blabering. present proof etc\
these guys(accusers) should be sued by the ICC
October 7th, 2009 at 4:16 pm