PCB to launch probe into two World Cup matches

By Rizwan Ehsan Ali

ISLAMABAD, MAY 23. A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board said on Wednesday that he would soon launch an inquiry into two 1999 World Cup matches after Sir Paul Condon's report on match- fixing was released on the internet.

``We are committed to launch an inquiry into the World Cup matches between Pakistan versus Bangladesh and Pakistan versus India so that our commitment to ICC will be fulfilled,'' Chairman of the PCB Lt. Gen. Tauqir Zia said. Pakistan lost both the matches.

``The report is too lengthy. I have not read it completely but as far as we are concerned we are definitely going to cooperate with the ICC to get rid of this menace (match- fixing),'' Zia said.

Sir Condon was appointed head of the International Cricket Council's Anti-Corruption Unit in June last year and submitted his report to Lord Griffiths, the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Commission of the ICC in England.

The report has particular apprehensions on Pakistan's 1999 World Cup match against Bangladesh. ``The persistent allegations that the Pakistan versus Bangladesh match in the 1999 World Cup was fixed in favour of Bangladesh for betting purposes, led to the Pakistan Cricket Board confirming that a further judicial inquiry will take place,'' Sir Condon said in his report.

The PCB had asked the patron of the board, President Rafiq Tarar, last year to launch a judicial inquiry into the match against Bangladesh, but so far the inquiry has not started. ``The PCB has already requested the patron to launch an inquiry into the World Cup matches and I hope a supreme court judge will be appointed very soon for this purpose,'' Zia said. However, the general was not sure when the inquiry would start as Pakistan team would return home in the last week of next month after participating in the triangular series in England.

Zia said that he would meet Sir Condon in the last week of this month and would seek more help from him so that it would help Pakistan in its inquiry. ``I will be in Pakistan with other members of my unit in late May 2001 and I will discuss my support for the investigations in Pakistan. I will also brief Mr. Israr Ahmad, the newly appointed Special Investigator for the Pakistan Cricket Board,'' Sir Condon said in his report.

Sir Condon will be arriving on Friday on a four-day visit to Pakistan. The PCB banned former Test cricketer Salim Malik and paceman Ataur Rehman for life on the recommendations of Justice Malik Muhammad Qayyum. It also handed current Test players Wasim Akram, Saeed Anwar, Waqar Younis, Mushtaq Ahmed and Inzamam-ul- Haq fines for not extending full cooperation to Qayyum during his investigations into match-fixing allegations in Pakistan.

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Section  : Sport
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