KARACHI, Oct 16: Pakistan cricket captain Waqar Younis Tuesday reacted calmly to the match-fixing probe and hoped that the matter would be settled after the ongoing inquiry.

“Till today I have not thought about the match-fixing inquiry. But I hope that the matter will be buried once and for all after this inquiry,” Younis told SADA.

Younis, along with former captains Wasim Akram, Moin Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Saeed Anwar and off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq and former Pakistan coach have been summoned by the match-fixing commission.

The Justice Karamat Bhandari Commission is probing match-fixing allegations in the 1999 World Cup. Its next hearing is scheduled on October 20.

“I am not worried at all because all the allegations are baseless. But I think this should not have happened with an international event so near,” he regretted. Pakistan will feature in a tri-series event in Sharjah staring Oct 26 with Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe as the other teams.

Younis said the Pakistan Cricket Board has not briefed the players on the matter. “Neither I have received any summon nor the PCB has given us any instructions in this regard.

I will think over it once I get the summons,” the Pakistan skipper added. Younis was among the six players fined by Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum’s match-fixing commission for non-cooperation with the September 1998-October 1999 inquiry. The Pakistan captain said the players are gearing up for the Sharjah event.

“There was a lay-off due to the cancellation of the New Zealand series but to our good luck all the players appeared in domestic cricket and are in good nick,” he said.

“I am positive that Pakistan will achieve best results in the Sharjah event and will not take Sri Lanka or Zimbabwe easy,” he said.

When asked about Pakistan matches at neutral venues due to the uncertain regional situation, Younis diplomatically said, “It is up to the Pakistan Cricket Board to decide.”

“PCB will decide on that but yes we want to play cricket and I read it somewhere that Morocco and Sharjah are the proposed venues. Its fine for me.” “We must not lose cricket. If PCB gives the go-ahead signal, we can play at venues like Morocco and Sharjah,” he said.

“I am told that Morocco has a very good ground,” he said. “We have achieved very good results at Sharjah and the ground suits us.” Younis disagreed that Pakistan’s pool in the 2003 World Cup in South Africa is tough.

“I don’t think it is a tough pool. What matters is how you play on the day of your match. You must play well on that particular day,” he said. Pakistan is placed alongside defending champions Australia, England, India, Zimbabwe, Namibia and the Netherlands in the 2003 Cup.

Younis said Pakistan has been planning for World Cup 2003 since last year. “PCB is mainly focusing on the World Cup 2003 and our chairman Lieutenant General Tauqir Zia is planning extensively for it. So we are in the mould and hope to win the Cup for a second time,” he said. “The boys have World Cup in sight and we will achieve best results,” he hoped.—SADA