Pakistan finalises inquiry report

Published February 1, 2002

KARACHI, Jan 31: A Pakistan inquiry into alleged match fixing at the 1999 cricket World Cup has been completed and the report sent to the sports ministry for further action, a court official said Thursday.

The investigation centered on Pakistan’s two defeats against India and outsiders Bangladesh at the World Cup in England after South African official Dr Ali Bacher alleged the matches were rigged.

Twenty former players, officials and journalists gave evidence before the one-man commission of Lahore High Court Judge Karamat Nazir Bhandari, court registrar Kazim Ali Malik said.

Bacher said in May last year that information about match-fixing in the two matches had been passed to him by former Pakistan Cricket Board chief executive Majid Khan.

Majid repeated the allegations before the commission, but efforts to have Bacher provide evidence went unanswered.

Former Test player Sarfraz Nawaz told the commission Pakistan threw games in the World Cup. But World Cup captain Wasim Akram, current captain Waqar Younis and other players including Moin Khan, Saeed Anwar and Inzamam-ul Haq denied the allegations.

In the World Cup, Pakistan suffered a surprise 62-run loss to cricket minnows Bangladesh and 47-run defeat against arch rivals India.—AFP

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