Younis not a fixer: Inzamam

Younis Khan is no fixer, but needs to handle his senior players better, says Inzamam

Younis not a fixer: Inzamam

Younis Khan is no fixer, but needs to handle his senior players better, says Inzamam

Younis Khan becomes the latest addition in the list (Salim Malik, Wasim Akram and Inzamam ul Haq) of Pakistan captains to be accused of match-fixing, a slur which has not spared the best and most talented of Pakistan cricketers.

Inzamam-ul-Haq, who was captain when Pakistan lost to Ireland in the 2007 World Cup, has come out in support of the present skipper, who is under fire for a dropped catch during the Champions Trophy semi-final against New Zealand as well as for Pakistan's loss to Australia. "I will not believe Younis is involved in fixing," Inzamam told MiD DAY yesterday.

While Younis will welcome the support, Inzamam delivered a bouncer too. "Having said that, Younis will have to change his attitude when it comes to dealing with senior players. I have spoken to a couple of players and they are not happy with his attitude," said Inzamam.

The burly former captain is known to be close to players like Mohammad Yousuf, Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik. It is believed that Inzamam is still a very influential personality in Pakistan cricket.

Batting disorder
Inzamam said Younis' decision to change Malik's batting position in the semi-final against NZ defied cricketing logic. "Malik got a hundred against India at No 4. He should not have been made to bat at No 3 against New Zealand," he said.

On Tuesday, MiD DAY reported exclusively in India that Jamshed Khan Dasti, who heads the National assembly standing committee for sports, stated that he has a report to suggest that Pakistan deliberately lost the match to Australia on September 30 to put India out of the competition. Dasti also said that Pakistan lost to NZ on purpose.

The standing committee for sports has summoned Younis, coach Intikhab Alam, manager Yawar Saeed and Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ejaz Butt for a hearing on October 13. Intikhab was shocked at the move. "I am very shocked especially since these allegations have surface at a time when the team is performing well.u00a0

We won the ICC World Twenty20 Cup in June and reached the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy. Some teams like India, Sri Lanka and South Africa have not performed at all, but there is no such reaction in their countries," said Intikhab.

Baseless
"If someone has concrete evidence, then he should come forward with it. Why make such baseless allegations? Our supporters will have to learn to accept defeat too," he added.

Meanwhile, PCB's governing board member Dr Mohd Ali Shah gave a new twist to the controversy by alleging that Pakistan's semi-final was fixed by the match officials along with Indian bookies in favour of New Zealand. "I was present at the ground for the match and the odds were 7-2 in favour of Pakistan. But, someone received a huge amount of money from the bookies and he changed the complexion of the match,"
alleged Shah.