How can an India-Pakistan match be fixed? asks shocked Lele

NEW DELHI, JUNE 13: Indian cricket reacted with shock and horror on Tuesday at suggestions their cherished World Cup win over Pakistan las...

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NEW DELHI, JUNE 13: Indian cricket reacted with shock and horror on Tuesday at suggestions their cherished World Cup win over Pakistan last year may have been fixed. With Indian players and officials themselves under scrutiny of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), few were willing to comment on South African cricket boss Ali Bacher’s sensational disclosure to the King Commission that the Super Six game between the arch-rivals was fixed.

But Indian cricket board secretary Jayawant Lele rubbished Bacher’s statement just as he had dismissed claims by Delhi Police in April that former South African captain Hansie Cronje was involved in match-fixing. “How can a match between India and Pakistan be fixed when both teams are out to get one another?” the irrepressible Lele said. “Pakistan were keen on beating India because they had never beaten us in the World Cup.”Anshuman Gaekwad, India’s coach at the World Cup, said he did not believe his team’s 47-run win at Old Trafford was tainted. “It was a very competitive game,” Gaekwad said. “Pakistan fought hard before going down.

I went into the Pakistani dressing room after the match and the players were very depressed by the defeat.”

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CBI SHOULD SUMMON BACHER: Peeved at the claims made by South African cricket supremo Ali Bacher, his Indian counterpart AC Muthiah demanded that CBI summon Bacher for his “long-standing contact” with an Indian bookmaker. “From his testimony it appears that he has got a long standing contact with an Indian bookmaker and in all fairness, Bacher should volunteer to appear before CBI and provide full information about the bookie,” Muthiah said in a statement here. Muthiah said CBI should take lead and summon him. “Dr Bacher should extend his full cooperation.” He said it was unfortunate that Bacher made all the statements before the Commission but did not reveal anything in the International Cricket Council’s emergency meeting in London on May 2 and 3.

MONGIA GRILLED: Meanwhile, the CBI questioned Indian wicket-keeper Nayan Mongia on Tuesday in connection with the cricket match fixing scandal even as the former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu again denied that he was a witness to Kapil Dev having made any offer to Manoj Prabhakar to play below his potential, agency sources said here.

The sources said Mongia, who was summoned by the agency, recorded his statement before the sleuths of Special Crime Branch. The questioning of Mongia, who arrived at the CBI headquarters this afternoon, continued for two and a half hours. PCB seeks evidence: In Karachi, pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Lt General Tauqir Zia has said the inquiry into match-fixing allegations would not be reopened on the basis of statements made by Bacher and Majid Khan.

Zia said Bacher and Majid Khan should furnish evidence to support their claims, The News reported on Tuesday.

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Zia also said that PCB had not yet received the video taped evidence a British tabloid claims to possess about former Pakistan captain Salim Malik admitting to his being the ring leader of an international match-fixing racket. Zia said they had received the transcripts of the tapes but wanted to watch the actual footage to confirm its authenticity. Akhtar hits out: Javed Akhtar on Tuesday vowed to take legal action against Bacher and described his allegations as baseless. “I am sure he is biased against Pakistan and that’s why he is making such baseless allegations, all are figments of his mind,” Akhtar said.

“It’s insinuating. He must say who is Mr R and his statement shows he is himself friendly with bookies,” said Akhtar.