Sources in the national team told Arab News here that the players were ‘really angry’ after being told about Malik’s comments but decided to keep their mouths shut.

“Initially, nobody believed that a minister can issue such a warning so close to what is very, very important match for us,” said a player, who requested anonymity. He was referring to Pakistan’s eagerly awaited World Cup semifinal here at the PCA Stadium on Wednesday.

“All of us are aware that match fixing has been an issue for the Pakistan team but what really angered us was the timing and the manner during which this warning has been issued. It made us feel really bad,” added the player.

Malik told reporters back home that the authorities were keeping a close eye watch on the Pakistan team ahead of the Mohali clash. "I gave a warning that there should be no match fixing. I am keeping a close watch. If any such thing happens, we are going to take action," said Malik.

Malik made it clear that though he was "sure that Pakistan team has very clean members,” intelligence is being gathered on the players, including "who are meeting them and the position of their telephones.”

"This is necessary because we can't take a chance after what happened in London," he said referring to last year’s spot fixing scandal that saw three of Pakistan’s leading cricketers — Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt – getting banned by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

When asked to comment on Malik’s warning, Pakistan pacer Umar Gul stressed that he and his players were just focused on their match against India.

“I wasn’t aware of this until you pointed it out,” Gul told a reporter here at the PCA Stadium on Monday. “We don’t focus on the media, we are just focusing only on our cricket. The kind of pressure we have had over the last several months and the way we have handled it, this is no pressure at all. We are jut focusing totally on our cricket.” Imran Khan, the former Pakistan captain, lambasted Malik for his ill-timed comments.

"I am more worried about Malik than the cricket team. For all who might not know, Malik was absconding from justice until very recently. Therefore my worry is not with the team but with him," said the 1992 World Cup-winning captain.

"The minister does not have a very good command on the English language so hence he must have meant something else. If one wants to stamp out corruption, the boards and the ICC needs to get more vigilant. Spot fixing is difficult to pick and the only way one can identify the same is when accounts of cricketers are disclosed," he added in an interview.

Aamir Sohail, another former Pakistan captain, stressed that Malik should have conveyed this message to the players privately. “The timing and the way the statement comes is not right. He should have told the players personally rather than telling the media. However, there are fears of match fixing in the semifinal,” said the former Test opener.