Miandad says Pak threw matches against NZ

Sacked Pakistan coach Javed Miandad on Saturday accused his team of deliberately losing a one-day series to New Zealand in February and demanded an inquiry to unearth the players involved.

"The video footages are available which will unveil everything. The matches against New Zealand were pre-decided," said by telephone from Lahore.

"If the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is determined to clean the sport from the menace of betting and match-fixing, the series against New Zealand is an ideal opportunity for them.

"I now want the Board to hold an internal inquiry," he added.

Pakistan were beaten 3-2 in the five-match one-day series against New Zealand after losing the decider at Dunedin by four wickets.

The PCB reacted with surprise and disappointment to Miandad's comments.

"Miandad made no complaints to us and instead chose to go to the media. His allegations have come out of the blue and have taken us by surprise," a PCB spokesman said at Lahore.

"Until we discuss and decide the issue at the PCB advisory council level we will not issue any further statements," he added.

Miandad was removed from the post of Pakistan coach on Tuesday, and the PCB said he would now look after day-to-day affairs at the cricket headquarters in Lahore.

Pakistan has yet to name a replacement for the tri-nation tournament in Sharjah starting on Sunday, although it has indicated it wants to appoint a foreign coach for the long term.

NO GRUDGES

Miandad, who was accused of maintaining poor relations with his players in New Zealand, said he had no grudges.

"I maintain I have no grudge against any player, it is they who cannot tolerate me for the simple reason I can't compromise on patriotism, professionalism, team interest or the country," he said.

"Do they think I am a fool that I don't realise what is happening?"

Pakistan team manager Fakir Aizazuddin, in a leaked report, had criticised Miandad for his attitude and said either the coach or senior players needed to be replaced.

The latest allegations of foul play come after Pakistan last year banned Salim Malik and Ata-ur-Rehman for life while censuring and fining six others after conducting a probe into match-fixing in the country.

Miandad said he did not want to name the players involved in match-fixing but that in New Zealand players had not followed his instructions.

"I could see that my instructions were not being followed for certain reasons. But I was helpless. I continued to ask the players to play the sport as it should be played," he said.

"But after all my calls fell in deaf ears, I decided to return home but was requested by the PCB to stay back for the series," Miandad added.

WORLD CUP

Accusations of match-fixing by Pakistan were first levelled in January 1995 by Australian trio Mark Waugh, Tim May and Shane Warne who said Malik offered them bribes during the 1994 series in Pakistan. The three said they rejected the offer.

Miandad, who first quit as Pakistan's team coach in 1999 before later serving a second term, said his earlier walkout was related to match-fixing during the last World Cup.

"I...believed that some players were involved in match-fixing, but I didn't spell (that) out...because the results of the World Cup would have been affected," he said.

Pakistan lost the World Cup final to Australia and their poor performance surprised supporters and sparked an inquiry by the Pakistan government, but no evidence of foul play was found.

Last year, Dr Ali Bacher, former managing director of the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA), told the Justice Edwin King commission inquiry into former South Africa captain Hansie Cronje's involvement in match-fixing that Pakistan's two World Cup matches against Bangladesh and India were fixed.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has asked the PCB to conduct a fresh inquiry into the World Cup allegations but the probe has yet to get clearance from President Muhammad Rafiq Tarar.

Mail Cricket Editor