 |  Raising suspicions without proof is not fair on the players |
Former Pakistan captain Waqar Younis has hit back at suggestions the team deliberately under-performed in two one-day tournaments in 2002. Anti-Corruption investigator Lord Condon wrote to the Pakistan Cricket Board to voice concerns about the team's results in Morocco and Kenya.
But Waqar told journalists: "We just did not play well and lost quite a few close matches.
"Luck did not favour us. But I know everyone tried hard to win."
Waqar said he had been aware of the letter sent to the PCB on behalf of the International Cricket Council's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit.
"I can only say if the ACU has any evidence and is convinced any player is involved in corrupt practices, he should be exposed and punished.
"But simply making allegations of match-fixing of raising suspicions without proof is not fair on the players," the fast bowler was quoted as saying.
"Pakistani people are very emotional and it is now customary to hear and read about allegations of match-fixing if the team does not perform to expectations."
Pakistan won just one of four matches in a three-team series won by Sri Lanka in Morocco in August 2002.
They subsequently lost twice to Australia in Nairobi, but reached the final after beating Kenya twice, only for it to be washed out by bad weather.
The International Cricket Council earlier this week refused to comment on the suspicions raised by Lord Condon's letter.
But chief executive Malcolm Speed emphasised their commitment to "ensuring that the game is never again tainted by corruption".
Pakistan has already conducted two match-fixing inquiries.
The first carried out by Mr Justice Qayyum led to life bans on Salim Malik and Ata-ur-Rehman and fines for six other players.
The second, conducted Mr Justice Bhandari, cleared the Pakistan team of any wrongdoing during games against Bangladesh and India at the 1999 World Cup.
MMIX
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