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Kapil denies match-fixing allegations

Onkar Singh in New Delhi

Kapil Dev, former captain and the current coach of the Indian Cricket team, has denied his involvement in the match-fixing scandal as alleged by Outlook magazine in a cover story recently.

Kapil, who was on vacation with his family in London when the magazine hit the stands, said: "Journalists have been ringing me up for my reaction. What can I say to a thing like this? It is below my dignity to react to such baseless allegations. I know that whatever cricket I have played, I have played for my country. I played the game because I loved it so much."

Kapil said the Union government must get the matter investigated by a professional agency like the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Yesterday, the former speedster had said that the Indian team should call off all its international commitments till the match-fixing "mess" was sorted out.

"Heavens will not fall if we don't play cricket for a while. The game is bigger than any player or board official. Anyone who is found to be guilty should be punished and not allowed to play cricket for the rest of his life," he said.

Kapil welcomed the on-going probe by the Delhi police and said that all those who know anything about match fixing must help the authorities.

When asked if any one of the Indian team was involved in fixing matches, Kapil said no such thing had taken place at least during his tenure as the coach.

He also refused to comment on the statement made by former Board of Control of Cricket in India president I S Bindra accusing International Cricket Conference chairman and former BCCI boss Jagmohan Dalmiya of being involved in match fixing.

"I have nothing to say on this matter," he said.

Match-fixing scandal: The entire coverage

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