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Pakistan involved in match-fixing: Sarfraz
Greg Buckle |
December 25, 2004 16:58 IST
Former Pakistan quick bowler Sarfraz Nawaz has accused the current team of being involved in match-fixing and alleged the series against India this year was corrupt, the Herald Sun newspaper said on Saturday.
"Everyone knows it," Sarfraz, 56, was quoted as saying from his home in Lahore. "They're still doing it, in both Test and one-day cricket."
Sarfraz has made similar allegations before but been unable to substantiate the allegations.
Former Test captains Salim Malik (Pakistan), Mohammad Azharuddin (India) and Hansie Cronje (South Africa) were banned for life after a match-fixing scandal, which erupted in 2000 when Cronje admitted accepting money from bookmakers.
Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer rejected Sarfraz's allegations as his team prepared for Sunday's second Test against Australia.
"Personally I believe the hype over match-fixing is over the top," Woolmer told reporters in Melbourne.
"I don't think there is any chance of any match-fixing going on in this team. They are all far too honest and a religious bunch of people who pray to Allah three or four times a day. I've not seen him (Sarfraz) anywhere around Pakistani cricket. He hasn't been to any games.
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"He's been known to make these sorts of statements. If he knows something then he must let us know and we'll deal with it."Woolmer took over from Javed Miandad as Pakistan coach in July this year. Pakistan toured India in March and April with India winning the one-day series 3-2 and the Test series 2-1.
The International Cricket Council rejected in April a call from Pakistan for a code of conduct to prevent former cricketers from making unsubstantiated match-fixing claims.
It came after former captain Rashid Latif suggested Pakistan could have thrown their fourth one-dayer against India in March this year.