CricInfo Home
News Home

NEWS FOCUS
Rsa in Pak
NZ in India
Zim in Aus

Domestic
Other Series

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed in writing about their participation in April's Sharjah Cup.

The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Lt Gen Tauqir Zia told reporters here at the National Stadium that India's assurance was conveyed to him by the organizers.

"We have been told by Cricketers Benefit Fund Series (CBFS) that J.Y Lele (secretary of the BCCI) has confirmed their appearance in writing," Zia said.

Besides India and Pakistan, Sri Lanka will be the third team in the tournament to be held on double league.

There were clouds of uncertainty regarding the holding of Sharjah Cup after India had turned down the proposal of a tri-nation series to raise funds for Gujarat earthquake victims saying Pakistan were also there. The decision came two months after India cancelled a planned tour to Pakistan for three Tests and five one-day internationals.

Although Lele has confirmed India's participation, it necessarily doesn't mean his team would be in the desert city in April. This is because the BCCI has to secure clearance from its Foreign Office whose stance towards Islamabad is not flexible.

The PCB chairman further told newsmen that his establishment would extend full support to CBFS which has acquired their help in inquiring into allegations levelled by a former Indian cricket board chief that matches were in Sharjah were fixed.

Inderjit Singh Bindra, in his allegations, has named ex-PCB chairman Khalid Mahmood and secretary Waqar Ahmad as telling him that fate of certain matches, involving both Pakistan and India, were pre-decided.

According to sources, the PCB has mailed the affidavits of Khalid Mahmood and Waqar Ahmad denying ever telling Bindra about the alleged matches.

Zia dismissed suggestions that Sharjah should be banned as one-day international venue.

"It is absolutely rubbish. That means England should also be banned because there are allegations that some World Cup matches were fixed and then India should also be not allowed to host one-day games because Mohammad Azharuddin has been found guilty of match-fixing," he said.

Briefing newsmen about his Melbourne meeting, Zia said he inquired from ICC anti-corruption unit Sir Paul Condon as to why investigations against Ali Bacher had not started.

"In last year's ICC meeting at Lord's, it was decided that Sir Lord Griffith would probe Bacher. But when the minutes of the meeting were distributed (in Australia), there was no mention of this decision.

"When Pakistan protested, Condon promised that Griffith would grill Bacher soon," the general said.

The PCB chief revealed that he has again requested chief executive Gen Pervez Musharraf to order judicial inquiry as soon as possible.

"Since we have promised to the ICC not to let any leaf unturned, we would put an end to the saga after inquiring into World Cup allegations.

"But at the same time I have told Condon to probe three matches of the World Cup involving West Indies and Kenya (1996), South Africa and Australia (1999 World Cup semi-final) and South Africa and Zimbabwe (final league match of the 1999 World Cup).

"There has to be a balance and if inquiry should be conducted because Pakistan was the fancied team but lost, then West Indies, Australia and South Africa were also favourites to win their games outright but didn't."

Zia stated that Pakistan would host the 2002 ICC knock out tournament although the event has been allocated to India.

© Dawn