Probe Kambli contentions: Maken to BCCI

Union Sports Minister Ajay Maken on Saturday said that Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) should probe into the allegations made by former Indian batsman Vinod Kambli that the World Cup semi-final match between India and Sri Lanka in 1996 was 'fixed'.

"BCCI should probe Kambli contentions of suspected match-fixing. BCCI itself should lead the investigation," Maken said.

Former India cricketer Vinod Kambli claimed that India´s 1996 World Cup semi-final match against Sri Lanka could have been fixed.

Kambli, who seen crying after the semi-final match was abandoned due to crowd trouble and Sri Lanka were adjudged winner, found "something amiss" in the game.

"I will never forget the 1996 match because my career ended after this and I was dropped from the team. I was stunned by India´s decision to field," Kambli said to STAR News.

Meanwhile, Maken said that Indians have the right to know the ´truth´ behind Kambli´s allegations.

"As a sports and cricket lover I was sad. If this has a truth then investigations should be done. People have to know the truth," he said.

Reacting to the comments made by Maken, BCCI Vice President Rajiv Shukla said: "The BCCI won´t give any importance to Kambli´s statement."

Former Indian captain Mohammed Azharuddin on Friday lambasted his ex-team mate Vinod Kambli, who claimed that India´s 1996 World Cup semifinal match against Sri Lanka could have been fixed.

Azharuddin, who was the captain during the World Cup, said the allegations have been made by Kambli, who lacks character and were "absolutely rubbish".

"Absolutely rubbish, whatever he (Kambli) is talking. He doesn´t know what he is talking, when you have people who have no character and no background come on TV and talk absolute rubbish in front of the nation and demeaning all the players who played in the team, it is totally disrespectful and its very sad," Azhar told reporters.

Azhar said the decision to field first was a collective decision. "May be when he was sitting in the meeting, he must have been sleeping," he added.