Pakistan match fixing is denied

Pakistan's team argues that far from under-performing, it has played well

A committee of Pakistan's parliament has summoned the country's cricket captain, coach and manager to discuss new match fixing allegations.

The move follows claims that Pakistan deliberately lost a Champions Trophy match to prevent India from reaching the semi-finals.

The allegations have been dismissed by Pakistan as well as the former Indian Test captain Bishen Singh Bedi.

Match fixing allegations have dogged Pakistani cricket since the 1990s.

But the BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Islamabad says that in recent years the number of allegations has diminished significantly.

Last ball

"The nation wants to know how the team lost to Australia," Jamshed Khan Dasti, chairman of the parliamentary committee, told the BBC.

Pakistani cricket has recently been free of match fixing claims

He argued that Pakistan deliberately lost in the last group match to prevent India from reaching the semi-finals.

Mr Dasti's committee has summoned coach Intikhab Alam, captain Younis Khan and Pakistan Cricket Board champion Ijaz Butt to a meeting on 13 October to clarify the allegations.

The match against Australia went down to the last ball, after Australia had apparently been in a strong position to chase down a modest total before Pakistan rallied.

Pakistan then lost a semi-final to New Zealand, who themselves lost the final by six wickets to Australia.

"I'm deeply hurt, it's totally disappointing," Mr Alam told the Associated Press on Wednesday.

"These allegations are made without any evidence and I think it's not patriotic.

"So far I have not received the invitation, but I have absolutely no problems in appearing before the committee."

The Pakistan coach said he received a telephone call of support from Bishen Singh Bedi on Wednesday.

"We are the only team which (reached) the last four of the two mega events this year and it's a big achievement," Mr Alam said.

"You can't win every game and I think we played very well."

Favourites South Africa, Sri Lanka and India did not qualify for the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy, which is the second most important limited-overs tournament on the International Cricket Council's programme.

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