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Former captain and Pakistan's 1999 World Cup coach Mushtaq Mohammad and off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq Wednesday denied that they had been summoned to appear before Justice Karamat Bhindari's commission on Oct 20.

The commission has been set up to investigate allegations that Pakistan threw two 1999 World Cup matches. Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief executive Majid Khan raised suspicion on the matches last Saturday on the basis of which the commission issued summons for Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Saeed Anwar besides Moin Khan and Saqlain Mushtaq.

A baffled Mushtaq, when contacted at his Birmingham residence said: "This is news to me. I have not been intimated by the PCB or by the inquiry commission to present myself there and testify.

"My nephew Salman (son of Sadiq Mohammad) rang me from Loughbrough on Tuesday to say that my name was on the internet and I am was required to be there on Oct 20.

"I could only laugh. What kind of joke is this. No one has got in touch with me about this and I have nothing to say.

The former coach also said: "What the fuss is about now. I thought it was all over. "As a captain of the team and later as a coach I have never noticed that any of the Pakistan player was involved in dicy deals. If at all anything was going on behind the scene, I would have no knowledge of it.

"It is easy to make allegations but where is the evidence? It is difficult to prove the allegations."

Saqlain Mushtaq, who is not in the squad for Sharjah and is here where his wife is expecting their first child in a couple of days, was as much astonished at the news.

I have no idea about it. No one from the board or the commission has contacted me to come to Pakistan for the Oct 20 inquiry commission sitting. "My friend from Pakistan informed me about this Tuesday."

I had told the commission of Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum few years ago that there was no way I was involved. If anything was proven against me, hang me or otherwise hang the people who have made allegations.

"I stand on that statement." he said.

© Dawn