Pakistan-New Zealand semi-final under the scanner

The International Cricket Council's (ICC) anti-corruption unit is studying New Zealand's victory over Pakistan in the second Champions Trophy semi-final, raising doubts of corrupt play, after Pakistani skipper Younus Khan dropped a catch at a crucial juncture of the match.

Younus denied dropping the ball deliberately, but conceded that the dropped catch cost his team the Champions Trophy semi-final tie in Johannesburg on Saturday.

The match was evenly poised when Younus dropped Grant Elliott in the covers in the 40th over, with the New Zealand batsman then playing on 42 in his team's total of 165 for four, Stuff.co.nz reported.

New Zealand needed 69 to win at that stage with six wickets in hand, but Elliott steered his team home with a crucial 104-run stand for the fifth wicket with skipper Daniel Vettori (41).

"The officials are guarded in their reactions at this stage, but indeed, the tapes of the Pakistan-New Zealand semi-final match are on their way to the anti-corruption unit," the newspaper reported.

Younus "shockingly" gave priority to the safety of an injured finger to making the catch, it said.

The Pakistan captain showed an after-match press conference the bandaged little finger of his right hand, and said the reason he missed the catch was because he was trying to protect a fractured finger.

"When I ran Gautam Gambhir out with the same hand, people clapped and said 'what a patriot, playing for the country with a broken finger'. Now, the same people will call me names, they will suggest I was up to something. I am not worried about anything," Younus said.