WC: Malik warns Pak cricketers not to indulge in match-fixing

Rezaul H Laskar
Islamabad, Mar 28 (PTI) Ahead of their crucial World
Cup semi-final against India, Pakitani cricketers have been
warned not to indulge in any match-fixing by Interior Minister
Rehman Malik who said he was keeping a "close watch" on their
activities.
"I gave a warning that there should be no
match-fixing. I am keeping a close watch. If any such thing
happens, we are going to take action," Malik said two days
ahead of the game in Mohali that will showcase one of the
world's most intense sporting rivalries.
Malik said that though he was "sure the team has very
clean members", intelligence is being gathered on the
Pakistani cricketers, including "who are meeting them and the
position of their telephones".
"This is necessary because we can't take a chance
after what happened in London," he said, in a reference to a
recent match-fixing controversy in Britain involving three
Pakistani players.
Malik, who made the remarks during an interaction with
the media in the port city of Karachi, also had some advice
for the Pakistani players.
"Do your practise, sleep early at night and wake at
the proper time. They should dedicate themselves to Pakistan
for the match," he said.
There is a lot of excitement about the India-Pakistan
clash in the World Cup semi-final, he said.
"There is a lot of love for the cricketers and we hope
they will win the game for us. We expect they will not
disappoint the people," he said.
Malik also welcomed his Indian counterpart P
Chidambaram's remarks about adequate security being provided
to the Pakistani team while in India in light of possible
threats to the players.
He noted that Chidambaram had said special
arrangements would be made for the game in Mohali, including
the deploying of some 1,000 commandoes.
"I am sure of his (Chidambaram’s) capability. He is a
man of wisdom and authority and has the capability to handle
things well," Malik said.