Rangeela
International Coach
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2003
- Online Cricket Games Owned
Waqar Younis has hit out at allegations that Pakistan had deliberately underperformed in one-day tournaments in Morocco and Kenya in 2002. Responding to a letter by the ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) to the Pakistan board which raised the issue, Waqar, who led the team in both competitions, emphasised that there was no truth to the allegations.
"We just did not play well and we lost quite a few close matches. Luck did not favour us. But I know everyone tried hard to win," he said, according to a Press Trust of India report. Waqar added that these stories were floating around only because Pakistan had lost the one-day series to New Zealand and had an important series against India coming up. "Whenever the team loses a few matches on a trot or an important series is coming up, you hear and read about such allegations about match-fixing. So this is nothing new for me.
"I can only say if the ACU has any evidence and is convinced any player is involved in corrupt practices, he should be exposed and punished. But simply making allegations or raising suspicions without proof is not fair on the players also. Pakistani people are very emotional and it is now customary to hear and read about allegations of match-fixing if the team does not perform to expectations."
Waqar may feel that Pakistan lost a few close games in those tournaments, but a look at the records suggest otherwise. In Kenya, Pakistan suffered humiliating defeats against Australia ? by 224 runs and nine wickets ? while in Morocco, they lost to South Africa by 54 runs and to Sri Lanka by 39. Pakistan's only narrow loss was by 8 runs to South Africa, a match they needed to win to qualify for the final.
Meanwhile, the report also stated that Waqar had confirmed his participation in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, Pakistan's domestic tournament, in a bid to win a place in the Test squad for the series against India. "I have not given up hope of playing for Pakistan again, that is for sure."
? Wisden Cricinfo Ltd
"We just did not play well and we lost quite a few close matches. Luck did not favour us. But I know everyone tried hard to win," he said, according to a Press Trust of India report. Waqar added that these stories were floating around only because Pakistan had lost the one-day series to New Zealand and had an important series against India coming up. "Whenever the team loses a few matches on a trot or an important series is coming up, you hear and read about such allegations about match-fixing. So this is nothing new for me.
"I can only say if the ACU has any evidence and is convinced any player is involved in corrupt practices, he should be exposed and punished. But simply making allegations or raising suspicions without proof is not fair on the players also. Pakistani people are very emotional and it is now customary to hear and read about allegations of match-fixing if the team does not perform to expectations."
Waqar may feel that Pakistan lost a few close games in those tournaments, but a look at the records suggest otherwise. In Kenya, Pakistan suffered humiliating defeats against Australia ? by 224 runs and nine wickets ? while in Morocco, they lost to South Africa by 54 runs and to Sri Lanka by 39. Pakistan's only narrow loss was by 8 runs to South Africa, a match they needed to win to qualify for the final.
Meanwhile, the report also stated that Waqar had confirmed his participation in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, Pakistan's domestic tournament, in a bid to win a place in the Test squad for the series against India. "I have not given up hope of playing for Pakistan again, that is for sure."
? Wisden Cricinfo Ltd
