Kapil Dev breaks down

NEW DELHI, MAY 6. A tearful Kapil Dev has said in a TV interview that a lifetime of his service to cricket ``has been finished by an irresponsible allegation of match-fixing by third parties''. He said ``I will commit suicide rather than take a bribe''.

Breaking down inconsolably during Karan Thapar's interview `Hardtalk India' to be telecast by BBC World next Wednesday, the former Indian captain said ``I will commit suicide rather than take a bribe. Who wants money. Take all my money. I come from a family where pride is more important than anything else.''

Asked about former cricket board chief Inderjit Bindra's claim on TV two days ago that allrounder Manoj Prabhakar had told him that Kapil Dev had offered him Rs.25 lakh for under performing in a one-day international in Sri Lanka, the current Indian coach said that these were all `third party allegations.'

``I am sick of third party allegations,'' he said adding `please for God's sake become the first party and say what happened. I feel ashamed that I played cricket.''

He would never have played cricket had he known matters would come to such a pass.

He said these `wild allegations' had spoiled his life and all the credibility he had achieved in over two decades of service to the game had gone down the drain.

Stating that his family had undergone trauma all these days, the ace cricketer said if this was the world to live in, he would rather take `sanyas'.

Asked about Bindra's statement that Prabhakar had met him on April 22 in the presence of Punjab Cricket Association secretary M. P. Pandove and told him that Kapil Dev had made the offer to under perform in Colombo in 1994, and that he had confided in the then team coach Ajit Wadekar and his room-mate Navjot Sidhu, Kapil Dev said `what were they doing all these six years? Why did they not go to police.''

About the Outlook magazine story that Mumbai police had certain evidence regarding his involvement and that a lawyer was prepared to reveal all that he had overheard at a police station, the former India captain asked was Mumbai police `so incompetent' that it would keep quiet this long?

``This was again based on third party allegation and there was nothing much one could do on such things. `These people want publicity on my account,'' he said.

``You find out about bigger things like Bofors, can't you find out anything about this?'' he asked. ``Is the country more important to you or the cover up?

Blaming the media for not doing its job of double- checking, Kapil Dev said he was alleged to have been paid Rs.One crore by a bookie and Rs.25 lakh through a cheque in 1994-95 but his entire income, including match fees from the board and modelling, was only Rs.23 lakh during the period.

``I have never done any wrong. Never taken any money from any bookie. Please go to my accountant and see my accounts,'' a hurt Kapil Dev said adding that the entire episode had `burnt my house. What is left after that?''

Asked about media reports that Prabhakar, who along with Kirti Azad, met Home Minister L. K. Advani on May 5 and allegedly named Kapil Dev for match fixing, he said `Manoj is not coming out. Only stories are coming out. I am clear in my mind. If he had said, he should come out. It is going to harm the game.''

Asked whether he would step down from his current assignment as the coach of the Indian team which is to participate in the four- nation Asia Cup tournament at Dhaka this month end, he said ``I will still go with the team. I promised my captain, I promised my boys. I will talk to them before I take a decision.

He, however, wondered why the Board insisted on going there in this vitiated atmosphere when a failure with the bat or dropping of a catch could lead to needless aspersions being cast on the players.

- PTI

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Front Page
Previous : Missionaries attacked