Zulqarnain Haider criticised for abandoning team
The government of Pakistan has explicitly declared that the troubled wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider would not get any sort of assistance in his bid to seek asylum in the United Kingdom. After he fled Dubai for London in the midst of a neutral
venue series against the Proteas in Dubai claiming death threats from some mysterious match-fixers.
The sports Minister of Pakistan, Mr. Ijaz Hussain Jhakrani said that if the wicket keeper had something to be worried about or was scared he should have contacted the Government of Pakistan.
Haider on the other hand did not take the GOP (Government of Pakistan), team management or http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 Cricket Board into confidence and rather opted to seek help from a third country so the government would not support his actions including
his move to get asylum in the UK.
Jakhrani heavily criticized Haider’s response towards the incident and said that the Sports Ministry had already sought a complete report on the incident from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
"We don't want to interfere in the internal matters of the Board but we certainly want to know why this has happened as it affects the image of the country", he said. "But no doubt this incident has disappointed us. Zulqarnain should have
come to us for help. We will not support his move to get asylum in the UK", the minister reiterated.
The 27-year-old wicketkeeper, who was keeping wickets in place of Kamran Akmal, the first choice glove man for Pakistan team, who is recovering from an appendicitis surgery, fled to London in the midst of series against South Africa citing
death threats on his Facebook wall.
The drama started shortly before the troubled Pakistan side was due to play a deciding ODI of the five-match series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757, when it was revealed that the wicketkeeper had not arrived at the Dubai Cricket Stadium with the squad.
Haider was reported missing by the PCB and tour management but was later seen at Heathrow airport. Haider after reaching London revealed that he had received life threats for his performance in the fourth ODI against the Proteas, a match
that was won by Pakistan by one wicket on the penultimate ball of game.
Haider revealed an encounter with a stranger, who had approached him when he went out of the team hotel for a dinner. In an interview the scared wicket keeper claimed that bookmaker, who had approached him to fix the last two ODIs against
South Africa was staying in the team hotel in Dubai.
After leaving the team hotel, Haider left the international cricket as well saying that "There is too much pressure on me, I have received threats, my family has received threats", and is now seeking asylum in the UK for himself and his
family.
Jhakrani lashed out at the threatened player for his disappearance saying that he should not have joined the national side if he was such a weak person.
"If he is such a weak and scared person, he should not have played cricket in the first place, particularly not for the national team”, said Pakistan sports Minister. "This is not way for a member of the national team to behave or for even
a professional cricketer to behave", Jhakrani further added.
Arif Abbasi, the former chief executive of PCB, has criticized the team manager Intikhab Alam for the incident. "They talk about discipline but where is the discipline? How did the manager give away the passport to Zulqarnain in the middle
of the series? I blame the manager Intikhab Alam for this mess. He is such an experienced person and he allowed this incident to happen", said Abbasi.
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