Cannot tolerate match-fixing allegations: Younis

KARACHI: An exasperated Younis Khan on Tuesday said he took the decision to step down as skipper of the Pakistan cricket team as he could not tolerate the match fixing allegations against him.The National Assembly standing committee on sport had summoned Younis, coach Intikhab Alam, manager Yawar Saeed and PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt, seeking an explanation on Pakistan's defeat in the Champions Trophy."I have resigned because I cannot tolerate anyone raisingfingers and making match fixing allegations against me. I have always playedhonorably and I am disgusted by such allegations," a livid Younissaid.Even though the committee was satisfied with their response,Younis could not digest the humiliation and resigned.Butt tried topersuade him to reconsider his decision but the prolific batsman refused to doit."I have told the Chairman to look at the reasons I have given formy resignation. The team has been doing well in recent times and yet we areaccused of match fixing, this is not on," Younis said.According tosources, Younis has also requested the PCB, to rest him from the upcoming seriesagainst New Zealand and Australia."He (Younis) has written in hisresignation letter that the board should not consider him for the coming seriesagainst New Zealand and Australia as he wants to take a break from cricket," thesource said.The committee chairman Jamshed Dasti defended theirdecision of questioning the captain and the PCB officials."We had nointentions to hurt anyone and my earlier statements were misunderstood. I simplysaid that since they were so many reports that the team under-performeddeliberately in the Champions Trophy matches against Australia and New Zealandthe committee has a duty to find out if these reports are true," Dasti toldreporters.He said the committee was convinced that the team had donenothing wrong and it was just a bad day for them in the semi-final of theChampions Trophy.Dasti said he would not comment on Younis'resignation saying it was his personal decision."He has resigned inthe past also. But our stance is clear that if we hear serious allegationsagainst the team we have a duty to investigate those things. There was never anyintention to dishonour any player," Dasti said."As far as we areconcerned we have done our work and we have also made certain recommendations tothe Board for improving the performance of the team," he added.PCBChairman Butt said he would not comment on the step taken by Younis but thematter would now have to be discussed at the Governing council meeting onOctober 19."I tried to persuade him to take back his resignation buthe insisted on giving it. So we now have to let the matter go to the governingcouncil."I think the players have been upset and hurt by these matchfixing allegations, which are not true. I had told the committee members thatthe Board is satisfied with the performance of the team and it did well to reachthe semi finals of the tournament," Butt said.