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The ongoing claims of match-fixing that have dogged the Pakistan team took a new twist over the weekend, when off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq refused to comment on a report in a Lahore newspaper that he was quitting international cricket.

According to Jang, Saqlain, 22, was one of eight players including captain Wasim Akram, veteran batsman Salim Malik and fast bowler Waqar Younis who were said to be retiring so that the public could believe they were innocent of unsubstantiated claims that the team deliberately lost the World Cup final to Australia and behaved improperly off the field.

Saqlain refused to speak to journalists afterm completing his first match of the season for championship leaders Surrey at the Oval. But Keith Medlycott, the Surrey coach said: ``When I spoke to him about this story he just laughed. He's young and I think he will have a long international career.''

In Pakistan Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum will submit his report on betting and match-fixing to President Rafiq Tarar by July 16.

Wasim Akram, Pakistan's captain, collapsed with a diabetic attack at his Birmingham flat on Friday, but played for Smethwick club on Saturday, taking two wickets against Stratford in the drawn Birmingham League match.