Younus' resignation affair was meant to disgrace me: Dasti

Karachi:

Pakistan's National Assembly Standing Committee on Sports chairman Jamshed Dasti on Tuesday said captain Younus Khan's resignation saga was an effort to malign his image.

He further said that he did not commit any mistake by calling Younus, coach Intikhab Alam and PCB chairman Ejaz Butt for a hearing on charges of match-fixing during the Champions Trophy in South Africa earlier this month.

"I know since last week they are certain people trying to disgrace me and the committee, but we are not going to be pressurised by anyone," Dasti said.

"The Younus Khan resignation affair was meant to disgrace us," he told reporters during visit to the Sindh Sports Complex here.

Dasti had caused a furore in the country when he claimed that he has evidence that Pakistan had deliberately under-performed against Australia and New Zealand in the Champions Trophy.

His remarks led to Younus submitting his resignation as captain to Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Butt during the hearing of the National Assembly committee last week.

However, Butt on Monday announced that he had not accepted Younus' resignation and would continue as captain of the national team until the 2011 World Cup.

Dasti said if needed he would again call the Younus and Butt for a hearing.

"There are signs of groupings within the board and team and we want to get rid of this.

"I have been authorised by President Asif Ali Zardari to clean up Pakistan sports," he claimed.

He said the committee had full backing of President Zardari in its bid to improve the PCB establishment. "We will continue summoning players and officials of PCB in the future," he added.

Dasti also claimed that there were irregularities amounting to millions of rupees during the tenure of former PCB Chairman Nasim Ashraf and present chief Butt was trying to cover up the misdoings.

"These irregularities have been found in the accounts of PCB which were audited by the Auditor General of Pakistan," Dasti said.