Pakistan coach denies match-fixing charges

In this story: Miandad "not sacked" Inquiry into defeats RELATED SITES

By CNN's Grant Holloway

KARACHI, Pakistan -- Former Pakistan national cricket team coach Javed Miandad has denied accusing Pakistani players of "match fixing", following the teams' horror tour of New Zealand last month.

Miandad was quoted by news agency Agence France-Presse as saying: "We have video and audio footage that can prove we lost to New Zealand due to match-fixing".

However, Miandad is quoted on The News International Pakistan website denying saying any such thing.

"I don't know how the statement was attributed to me that I said that the Pakistan Cricket Board should hold an inquiry to find out if the matches in New Zealand were fixed. I was shocked to learn about the agency (AFP) report quoting me as making match-fixing allegations, I outrightly deny making any such accusations in my statement issued on Saturday," said Miandad on NIP.

It was also reported that Miandad was sacked as Pakistan coach after the team played poorly in New Zealand.

Miandad "not sacked"

The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Lt. Gen. Tauqir Zia, has said in a statement that Miandad has simply asked for a break from his coaching contract and has not been sacked.

"Players of the caliber of Javed Miandad are not born everyday and his contributions to the game of cricket and Pakistan team are tremendous. His cricketing genius and abilities are acknowledged worldwide and the board can never think of sacking such an important member of its team," Tauqir said.

"The factual position is that Javed Miandad has a contract until 2003 as the coach of the Pakistan team, but on return from New Zealand asked for a break and it was in deference to his wishes that the board has agreed to give him a break from his coaching assignment. He is still available to the board for coaching at any level of cricket, as he is one of the most knowledgeable cricketers in the world."

Inquiry into defeats

Miandad said he has asked the Pakistan Cricket Board to hold an internal inquiry to "find out the causes of defeat in the series in New Zealand, what led to the injuries, the below par performances".

"But my demand was based on purely cricketing reasons not because I suspect match-fixing. In the past I have never made such allegations, simply because I cannot substantiate them. Why should I do it now?"

Tauqir on Sunday announced the board would hold an inquiry to find out the reasons for the defeats in New Zealand, but stressed Miandad had not made match-fixing allegations against any player and that match-fixing would not be a subject of the inquiry.

"The inquiry will not be about match fixing as Miandad has denied saying anything on match fixing. He has told us that he has demanded a normal inquiry and not any match fixing inquiry," Tauqir said.

Pakistan Cricket Board
The News International Pakistan

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