[Tehsin]

PCB clears them



AFP, Lahore


An official report into alleged match-fixing by Pakistan during the 1999 World Cup has cleared the team of any wrongdoing, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Saturday.

"PCB has made the Bhandari commission report public, which has absolved all the players and the team from all match-fixing charges during Pakistan's defeats against Bangladesh and India in the World Cup held in England in 1999," a statement from the PCB said.

"In its findings the commission has cleared the Pakistan team of match-fixing charges during the World Cup and the commission has said it does not require to take any action against the players."

The report, which will be presented to a meeting of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in London next week, was ordered after widespread allegations of cheating in Pakistan's losses to Bangladesh and India in the tournament in England.

Pakistan eventually finished runners-up to Australia.

"The report will be submitted to International Cricket Council (ICC) in its meeting in London next week," the PCB said.

Around 20 players -- including former captain Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Moin Khan, Inzamam-ul Haq and Saeed Anwar -- appeared before the Bhandari commission and denied the charges in October last year.

Pakistan's first match fixing inquiry two years ago banned former captain Salim Malik and Ataur Rehman for life while Akram, Younis, Haq, Anwar, Mushtaq Ahmed and Akram Raza were fined.