Team Pakistan manager wants players to remain cool against England

Naveed Akram Cheema, the Pakistan team's manager, hopes that the upcoming series against England will be a controversy-free and friendly event; a series they want to play in the right spirit of the game, and avoid any sort of untoward incident. Cheema revealed that the Men in Green will be given special lessons regarding the International Cricket Council’s laws about spot-fixing during their training camp at Lahore. This is being done in order to avoid a repetition of the spot fixing scandal that emerged at Lord's. According to the manager, the players will also be told not to lose their cool, whether it be the pavilion or the ground, and to treat the English team with respect, dignity and create a peaceful atmosphere throughout the tour. He did emphasise that the Cornered Tiger should prove themselves via their performances.

The manager touched upon the atmosphere while speaking to the media. “I want this series to be played in the right spirit. In the training camp for the tour, we will be instructing our players to maintain their cool and not get provoked in any situation.” He further said, “What happened in the last series between the two teams is in the past and I am confident that the upcoming matches will be played in a friendly atmosphere. The players will be asked to show aggression only on the field through their performances and I'll be asking them to avoid any sledging to ensure a friendly atmosphere.” During the last Pakistan-England Test series in England, three Pakistani players, Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were implicated for spot-fixing, which brought dishonour to the Pakistani team. This left a bitter taste at the end of the tour. Controversy is no stranger to Pakistan-England series; from Shakoor Rana and Mike Gatting fighting on-field, to Inzimam refusing to re-enter the field of play after tea, in 2006 at the Oval, over allegations of ball tampering. The current series consists of 3 Tests, 4 One Day Internationals and 3 T20I; fans and the team management will be hoping that the tour can finish without any major controversy.

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Salman Butt’s family lashes out at Pakistani media for not helping

The aggrieved family members of the banned Pakistani Test skipper and star batsman, Salman Butt, who is believed to be the main architect of spot-fixing saga, have lambasted the national media for not helping an ‘innocent’ cricketer at the time of trail.

Butt along with Mohammad Asif was declared to be guilty of deceit and corruption by a British Southwark Crown Court yesterday. However, the decision on their final punishment is pending by the next week.

In the aftermath of the jury’s verdict, a number of media personnel gathered around Salman’s home to seek the opinion of his family which had mixed feelings of pleasure and grief as the cricketer’s wife gave birth to a baby boy at the same time when the court was writing her husband’s fate.

Talking to the media, Butt’s sister said, “You should realise that you the media is not being helpful by conducting a media trial of Salman. We know our brother is innocent of all these charges.”

His mother told, “What I know is that God is the one who gives Izzat (respect) and Zillat ((disgrace) to everyone. Only he knows the reasons for this. As far as I know my son we have not brought him up in such a way that he should be corrupt. We believe he is innocent.”

She further stated, “Whatever happens now is God's will and we are ready to accept anything. But our son is innocent.”

It is feared that the court’s decree may put Butt, Asif and Mohammad Amir, who had already confessed his guilt, behind the bars for at least seven years. Earlier, the International Cricket Council (ICC) banned the trio from playing any type of cricket for at least five years.

Salman is at the forefront of this gruesome scandal as he was leading the green team when the issue came into limelight. The 27-year-old, who has 33 Test, 78 ODI and 24 T20I games to his name, is not likely to come in action again as he will have turned overage till the end of his punishment period. However, Amir can still have hope to resume his careers.

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Sport-fixing verdict ruins Pakistan cricket’s image, says former team manager Yawar Saeed

The former Pakistan team manager, Yawar Saeed, has admitted that the Spot-fixing verdict against Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt has exacerbated Pakistan cricket’s image in the world.

Yawar was the manager of the crew during the England tour last year, when the Spot-fixing scam was uncovered by ‘News of the World’. He expressed grief over the ruling by the London court and termed it as one of the sad days for Pakistan cricket.

“It's a sad day for all of us and I'm very sad that this beautiful game of cricket has had to see this day," Saeed told AFP.

At Southwark Crown Court in London, the jury declared Butt and Asif as culprits for accepting black money from the fixer, Mazhar Majeed. Another Pakistani cricketer, Mohammad Amir, has already conceded bowling no-balls deliberately during the Lord’s Test.

The Judge will announce punishment within a few coming days and it is likely that the trio will be sent to jail for some time.

Lamenting over the Spot-fixing case, Yawar said that he tried his best to keep cricketers away from such elements during his stint as the manager of the team. The former manager, who stepped down from his position after the fateful England tour, also revealed that he had warned Butt and Asif but the players kept on committing mistakes.

"I feel very sad because I tried my level best to tell them to keep away from notorious people. They should have understood that and they committed a blunder, and when you commit a blunder, you are punished. I'm also sad because the country's name has been dragged into this entire controversy. Pakistan is known for its talented players but this case has stained the country's image badly," added the former cricketer who played first-class cricket in Pakistan from 1953 to 1959.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has already barred three players and the decision will not make any impact on their ban. The Court has also asked Amir and the agent Majeed to appear before the court and ordered all players not to leave the city before the verdict, expected to be announced within this week.

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Lalit Modi claims umpires and administrators too fix matches

The suspended IPL commissioner, Lalit Modi, on Tuesday claimed that the umpires and administrators of the game also fix matches at the International level.

Soon after the Southwark Crown Court in London declared two Pakistan players - Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt - guilty of spot-fixing, Modi wrote on his Twitter page that it’s not only players that fix matches, rather match officials also fix games.

"It's not only players that fix matches - Sometimes there are Umpires too in connivance with Administrators. Again.. these reports are buried," stated Modi on a micro-blogging website.

A 12-member jury of Southwark Crown Court on spot-fixing, after 16 hours and 56 minutes of debate, found Butt and Asif guilty of charges of “conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt money, levelled against them by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) of Britain.

10 out of the 12 jury members voted against the accused Pakistan cricketers while two voted in their favour.

"It is worst form of corruption. It makes everything else look Pale,” tweeted Modi. "People remotely assisting - match / Spot Fixing or People Preventing the information from coming out are equally to blame for this menace," he added further. 

The former Indian Premier League chairman was suspended from the coveted role soon after the conclusion of the third edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) in April last year.

The discarded IPL chairman asked for severe punishments for those who have been found guilty of match fixing or spot fixing.

"Persons involved in fixing should be completely banned from participating any kind of professional sport,” said Modi, who himself has been accused of financial irregularities by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

"Cricket authorities must have a zero tolerance for spot- fixing. Problem is that quantum of betting has jumped - with no checks and reporting," he added further. 

The spot fixing saga goes back to August 2010, when three Pakistan players, Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir conspired with a bookmaker Mazhar Majeed to deliver some deliberate no balls in a Test match against England at Lord’s.

The trio has already been handed bans from all forms of cricket by an ICC tribunal in February this year.

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Zaka Ashraf says he won't tolerate grouping in the team

The newly appointed chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Zaka Ashraf, on Sunday made it clear that he would not tolerate any kind of groupings in the national team.
Ashraf, who has come to the Pakistan cricket with a banking background, has also warned the national players of staying away from illegal and unethical activities, saying that he would deal with an iron fist.
"One thing is clear in my mind I will not tolerate any groupings or monopoly either in the board or in the national team. There is no question of compromise on this issue,” said Ashraf while talking to the media reporters on Sunday.
The PCB chief said that he has been receiving calls from across the world since taking over as the Board's chairman, calling for improvement in the game.
Pakistan cricket has been tainted by a number of off-field controversies over the past year and a half, with the spot fixing saga being the worst of them. Three Pakistan cricketers including former skipper Salman Butt and pacer duo of Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif allegedly conspired to deliver a few deliberate no balls in a Test match against England, in August last year.
The trio has been banned from all cricket for a minimum of five years and a case against them with the charges of conspiracy to cheat, and conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments is underway in London. The Crown Prosecution Service of Britain, an organization responsible for prosecuting criminal cases probed by British police, is looking into the matter, and the trio, if proven guilty, can receive imprisonment for upto ten years and heavy financial penalties.
Zaka, a successful farmer-cum-businessman who had succeeded Ijaz Butt as the PCB chairman earlier this month, made it clear that no leniency will be shown to such cricketers.
"... it is a fact that some cricketers have been responsible for bringing a bad name to Pakistan and Pakistanis all over the world and I can only tell those players that they will be dealt with an iron hand and no leniency will be shown to them," said Zaka.

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Poonam Pandey wants God to be on India’s side in the fifth One Day International

Poonam Pandey, the Indian model after failing to motivate team India to grab a victory in the ongoing one-day series against England by making provocative offers regarding her semi-nude pictures has finally turned to religion for help as she seeks the hand of God in the fifth and final match of the one-day series against England on Friday, 15, September.
Pandey while wishing the team good luck for the final match of the disastrous English tour tweeted, “Beautiful Phrase From Guru Granth Sahib :- "Teri kismat da likha tere toh koi kho nahi sakda... je usdi mehar hove te tenu o v mil jaega jo tera ho nahi sakda.."  Wish My Team shud win Tmrw!! so Want "Gods Mehar" on the Men in Blue :).”
Earlier, the 20-year-old self proclaimed cricket fan had stated that she would be gifting her provocative pictures to the Indian team by posting them on her twitter page after India’s win in every match during the one-day series.
However, the team has failed to beat the English, which has left the model irritated and annoyed and now it is the final chance for the World Champions to see the model in her skimps.
She has once again promised to share her happiness on twitter every time the Indian players achieve something on the field.
She also praised the heroic efforts by middle-order batsman Rahul Dravid who will be playing his last one-day international on Friday.
“Dravid saved Team India a million times, let’s give the man a million-dollar farewell tomorrow. The one man who makes Blue look Regal without trying too hard: Rahul Dravid. We will miss you,” she tweeted.
Pandey made headlines during the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup 2011, when she announced that she would strip for the national team if they lift the title.
However, due to the conservative Indian culture, she was not permitted to go ahead with her plan as her act was considered obscene by many circles in India.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also had its reservations on the matter and did not permit her to give the team a private show in their dressing room.

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Banned Pakistani trio to appear before British court in July

A British court has order banned Pakistani trio, Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, to attend their trial in July. This will be a preliminary hearing of the case filed against them by the Crown ProsecutionServices (CPS) for their alleged involvement in spot-fixing scandals.

The trio did not appear in Southwark court for a hearing on May 20.

The three players were banned by the anti-corruption tribunal of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in February after corruption charges against them were judged to be true. Each player was granted a different period of punishment.

A British judge, James Sanders, have ruled that the trio will have to ensure their availability for the July hearing.

 A news report reveals, “The judge has ordered in a note that the trio be presents in person, or, by video link for the preliminary hearing”.

Though the trial is set to open in July, the regular hearing will start on October 4.

The trio did not attend the May 20 hearing on the advice of their lawyer.

During a Test match against England in August 2010, the three players were found to be deliberately underperforming. The News of the World broke the story and after initial investigations, the players’ agent,Mazhar Majeed, was found to be the spearhead of corruption.

As per the report, Majeed accepted $242,000 to steer the players to underperform.

The three players allegedly delivered no-balls to garner defeat for their team. This was taken as a spot-fixing practice.

One of the three offenders, Butt, was leading the team in that match.

This scandal has brought great disrepute to Pakistan cricket. The image of both the board and the players has been tarnished.

However, Team Pakistan missed the trio greatly during their ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 campaign. A majority of Pakistanis and players believed that were the trio present in the team, Pakistan would have won the World Cup.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has now devised a code of conduct for the players and their agents in order to avert such type of corruption in future.

Some experts argue that the trio is unlikely to attend the July trial as they consider their punishment as unfair and unjust.

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Zaheer Khan likely to be rested for limited-over series against West Indies

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has stated  that India 's left-arm fast bowler, Zaheer Khan, has requested the board to rest him for the limited overs part of the West Indies tour.
Zaheer is considered the spearhead of the Indian bowling line-up and has performed exceptionally well for the last couple of years in all formats of the game. He was also the joint top wicket-taker of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 with Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi and had claimed 21 scalps.
However, he has been playing regularly for India for the last couple of years and has asked for a well deserved rest. Since the Men in Blue leave for West Indies right after the conclusion of the ongoing Indian Premier League, Khan will not have the time to rest and recover. His below-par performance for Royal Challengers Bangalore also reflects how thinly worn the player is right now.

Indian Pacer has informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India about his concern and will write to it officially on May 10, 2011. It is learnt that the BCCI will not force him to play the ODIs and T20 game against West Indies.
A BCCI official said that India have important tours to England and Australia coming up, so if any player asks for rest, there was no harm in giving it to them.
The BCCI spokesperson also said, “He has informed the Board informally. And before the selection committee meets on May 10 he will be writing to the BCCI secretary. The Board will not force him to play the ODIs and T20 game. India has a bunch of tours lined up and we need a fit Zaheer in England and Australia. If any player asks for rest then there is no harm in it, as earlier too we have given rest to players who have asked for it.”
Zaheer Khan is one of the fastest bowlers of the Indian cricket team. He started his International cricket career in 2000 against Kenya. In his remarkable 191 One Dayers he has taken 273 wickets at an average of 28.84.

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Imran Khan asks ICC to adopt new ways to curb match-fixing

Former Pakistan skipper Imran Khan has asked International Cricket Council (ICC) to find innovative ways to curb the evil of match-fixing, as it is extremely hard to detect and prove the offense.
Khan commented on the match-fixing a few days after former Sri Lankan captain Hashan Tillakaratne blew the whistle on corruption in cricket and alleged that Sri Lankan team has been involved in match-fixing since 1992.
The genie of match-fixing came out of the bottle, when the former Lankan skipper claimed to have crucial evidences and threatened to disclose some big names in the near future.
Pakistan’s former captain Rashid Latif also endorsed Tillakaratne’s claim and said that the fixing is a severe issue which needs to be addressed as soon as possible. Latif explained that he was sure that Tillakaratne had evidence to back his claims.
"I have no doubt he has evidence but it all depends on how things go no. If strikes a deal with Sri Lankan authorities than the matter will be brushed under the carpet as in other instances in the past," Latif said.
Analysing the situation, Imran Khan stated that he had no idea about the source of fixing and it was always tough to identify such cases.
"I have no clue whether it happens or not. People can only point it out but it`s very difficult to prove. Special measures are required to deal with the menace,” Khan said.
Khan added, "The ICC should find new ways to control it. There should be a sort of check.”
Meanwhile, Khan made it clear that when the allegations had come up for the first time in Pakistan, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) should have taken serious step to control the menace.
ICC has already announced its zero-tolerance policy regarding the corruption in the game. Cricket in Pakistan has already suffered a lot due to fixing issues. Three top Pakistani cricketers, Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were charged with lengthy bans after proven guilty earlier this year.
Khan further predicted that if necessary actions are not taken, the situation could get worse with every passing day.

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Netherlands, Ireland, Kenya, Canada protest against ICC World Cup 2015 decision

The Netherlands, Ireland, Kenya and Canada registered their protest against International Cricket Council’s (ICC) decision to keep non-Test playing nations out of the ICC cricket World Cup 2015.
The associate nations lashed out at the dictation of the ICC, which was to protect the weaker cricket nations, Bangladesh, and, Zimbabwe, instead of promotion of cricket in the world. The next meeting of the ICC will be held in June, 2011 at Hong Kong where the matter will be discussed.
Netherlands came out with a brilliant show of cricket in the English County, which has strengthened the case for minnows. They took part in the Clydesdale Bank 40 competition and beat two strong teams, while they suffered a one run defeat against Middlesex at Lord s’.
They played against Yorkshire on 24^th April, 2011 at Headingley, Leeds, and won the close encounter by two runs, they beat Derbyshire by 13 runs on 25^th April at Derby. Third match was played against Middlesex on 1^st May, 2011, who scored 286 runs in 40 overs and Netherlands managed 285 runs and lost the thriller by just one run.
Netherlands gave a tremendous performance against England in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 on 22^nd February at Nagpur by scoring 292 runs batting first and almost made an upset but England managed 296 runs in 48.4 overs.
They gave a tough time to India on 9^th of March at Delhi but were disappointed with their performance against Ireland on 18^th March at Kolkata where they were defeated badly by six wickets.
They were unable to win a match in the tournament but learnt a lot and matured their cricket. Their captain, Peter Borren, was convinced that the associate members should be part of the World Cup, he told ESPN cricinfo:
"I think one of the other captains said he wasn't sure how much we learnt from going to the World Cup, well, I think our performances so far showed we learnt a lot. There's obviously a place for Associate teams at the World Cup. It's very disappointing they even considered going that way and hopefully the decision can be revisited”.
Ireland and Netherlands have come together to fight for their rights to be in the biggest cricket show. Borren believes that there has been lot of interest from the young generation of his country and they should be kept involved in the World Cup.
"It's a shame because cricket in Holland, and Associate cricket in general, has certainly developed over the last four years. I think we played pretty well at the World Cup. It's a step backwards, but hopefully our cricket here can keep our name up there".
The Netherlands is performing well in County cricket in the absence of their key players, such as Ryan ten Doeschate, who is currently involved in IPL-4, and came out with two centuries in the World Cup and Alexei Kervezee is also not accompanying the team.
Borren assured they can come out with a better show once they were given a chance to play against strong teams. Full members have a chance to play more competitive cricket amongst themselves and they come up with mature cricket and they are capable of grasping the same level if given fair chances.

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Zulqarnain Haider wants assets of cricketers to be checked by the Government

Pakistan’s former wicketkeeper, Zulqarnain Haider, wants the government of Pakistan to keep close tabs on the income of cricketers to make sure there is no foul play in their earnings.
While talking to media men in Pakistan he said, “Assets of the cricketers [in Pakistan] should be examined every year and the income tax department can play a vital role in this regard.” Haider accused certain cricketers of having 15 different houses in a country where the majority of the people are living below the poverty line. The former runaway cricketer reckoned that the people of the country need to take such steps that will help decrease the difference between the rich and poor.
Haider declined to name any players of being involved in match-fixing as he clarified that since the government authorities were already investigating the matter, it would be inappropriate for him to reveal the names at this point in time.
This week the law enforcement agencies arrested eight bookies, from the city of Sialkot, who had made threatening phone calls to Haider. According to investigators, the eight bookies have links with international gamblers and efforts are underway to arrest them with the help of Interpol.
According to Haider, the PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) and the ICC (International Cricket Council) are investigating the existence of corruption in the sport and the culprits will soon be unmasked. He urged cricketers from other countries to rally behind those who want to eradicate the menace of match and spot-fixing from cricket.
The renegade wicketkeeper stressed that if he had not fled to the United Kingdom, no action would have been taken to stamp out corruption from the game. According to him, he sacrificed his career to cleanse the game from corrupt practices.
He also revealed that he had given vital information regarding match-fixing to the Interior Minister of Pakistan, Rehman Malik. However, he did not disclose the nature of the information. Haider returned to Pakistan on April 25, from self-exile for nearly six months in England after he was assured highest security by the Interior Minister of Pakistan.
Last year, Haider shocked the cricket world by deserting his national team which was playing a One-Day series against South Africa in the deserts of the United Arab Emirates. The wicketkeeper fled to the United Kingdom and revealed that his life was under threat from bookies who wanted him to lose the fourth and fifth One Day International against the Proteas.
He immediately announced his retirement from international cricket and pledged to live in England with peace, away from cricket. However, he rattled everyone by stating that he will soon disclose the names of corrupt individuals in cricket. He retracted from his statement after his family in Pakistan received threat calls.

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Zulqarnain Haider claims that fleeing from Dubai was a bold step on his part

Pakistan’s renegade wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider has reiterated that it was a bold decision on his part to have fled to England from Dubai last year after getting life threats.
Haider while talking to media at his house in Lahore, insisted that had he not slipped to London he might not have lived to blow the whistle on match-fixing and corruption in cricket.
However, he insisted that he was not in a position to disclose the names of individuals involved as it will cause problems for him and his family.
He expressed his jubilation at the arrest of eight bookmakers earlier this week, suspected of giving him threat calls. The perpetrators were arrested from Pakistan’s city of Sialkot.
The runaway wicketkeeper also revealed that the PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) and the ICC (International Cricket Council) were investigating the charges of match-fixing leveled by him and the identities of those involved in the crime will soon be disclosed.
The former wicketkeeper returned to Pakistan on 25 April, 2011, after he was assured of top security by the government of Pakistan.
According to details, earlier this month, Haider met the interior minister of Pakistan, Rehman Malik, at the minister’s residence in London and expressed his desire to return to his homeland after nearly six months of self exile.
Malik assured the former wicketkeeper of full security and pledged to bring the culprits to justice.
Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Wajid Shamsul Hasan also assured the lanky wicketkeeper of state level security. After these developments, Haider decided not to pursue seeking asylum in UK and returned to Pakistan.
After the news of his return broke out, he received two threatening calls while he was still in England. According to him the calls came from Pakistan. He immediately informed the local police and there were rumours that he might reconsider coming back home.
However, Haider did not cancel his plans and finally made his return.
Last year in November, Haider who was selected for the national team in place of Kamran Akmal, bailed on his team during a One Day series in the United Arab Emirates against South Africa.
Haider, disappeared just before the fifth and the last match of the series and later resurfaced in London, where in his first press conference he disclosed that he had fled to save his life as he was under constant threat from a bookie.
He also announced his retirement from international cricket and expressed his desire to seek permanent residence in England.
However, after a week he pledged to reveal the names of the culprits involved in match fixing. This brought trouble at his door step as his family in Pakistan started receiving life threats from unknown people. He later withdrew his statement for the sake of his family’s well-being.

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BCCI OFFICIALS PRESENT INDIAN PM WITH ICC WORLD CUP 2011 SOUVENIR

Officials from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) met Indian Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, and presented him with an autographed cricket bat bearing signatures of all the members of India's ICC World Cup 2011 winning squad.

The officials included, BCCI President Shashank Manohar, Secretary N Srinivasan and Vice President Rajiv Shukla. They presented a cricket bat autographed by the national cricket team to the PM in the meeting held in New Delhi.

According to sources, this is the BCCI’s first official meeting with the Indian PM after India’s glorious win in the coveted tournament. During the meeting with the PM, the BCCI officials expressed their desire to improve other sports of the country as well. They discussed different plans and strategies with the Manmohan Singh for building new sports arenas and stadiums for different sports in India. The officials also requested the PM to help the board with financial support and assistance.

The vice-president of the BCCI Rajiv Shukla stated, “It was a courtesy meeting with the Prime Minister and we gifted him with a bat signed by all the members of the World Cup winning team.”

Indian President Pratibha Patil witnessed the final of the ICC World Cup 2011 between India and Sri Lanka along with Sri Lanka President, Mahinda Rajapaksa. She then invited the victorious India team to a tea party the next day in Mumbai and took group photos with the successful Men in Blue.

The BCCI members also conveyed their heartiest gratitude to the PM for visiting Mohali to watch the Indo-Pak semi-final played on March 30, 2011.

They also expressed their appreciation for Dr. Manmohan for inviting the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Yousuf Raza Gilani to India to watch the Indo-Pak semi-final with him. They said that this would be helpful in building friendly relations between the two countries.

Pak-India cricket ties, which were hampered after the 2008 Mumbai attacks which killed 164 people, seem to be back on track after the two countries played each other in the semi-final of the ICC World Cup 2011 in Mohali. Both the leaders vowed to resume cricketing ties between the countries and saw the sport as a means to normalise relations between the neighbours.

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ZULQARNAIN HAIDER SATISFIED WITH PAKISTAN’S FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION

The runaway Pakistan wicket-keeper, Zulqarnain Haider, who has recently returned home after spending months in self-exile, has expressed satisfaction over Pakistan Cricket Board’s ongoing fight against corruption and hoped it would bear positive results.

The former wicket-keeper hoped the Pakistan Government, the national cricket board and the International Cricket Council would root out the menace of match and spot-fixing from the sport of gentlemen. He opined that he is ready to support the fight against corruption even though it damaged his cricketing career.

"I am satisfied that the ongoing fight against corruption in cricket will bear positive results," said Haider in a telephone interview on Thursday. "I put my career on line and still don't bother if it continues to suffer," he added further.

The 25-year-old Pakistan cricketer fled Dubai for London in November last year in the midst of his team’s neutral venue series against South Africa citing death threats from some unknown match-fixers. He later sought political asylum in Britain, a plea that was neither supported by the Pakistan government nor the Pakistan Cricket Board.

After spending almost six months of self-exile in London, the escapee returned home on Monday.

After his return home, Pakistan police started an investigation of the calls Zulqarnain received from the anonymous bookmakers. The police arrested eight people in the city of Sialkot and they admitted threatening the former wicket-keeper.

Zulqarnain, who has not yet been given a security clearance to go back to his home in the capital city ofPunjab, Lahore said that the detentions have given him more confidence.

"The kind of confidence given to me by the government has brought me back and I am happy that they are taking serious steps," Haider said.

"The image of Pakistan cricket has been badly hurt by match-fixing and this continues to haunt it after every few months, but now I hope that with the serious steps and actions a time will come when our cricket becomes clean," he added further.

Haider, who had earlier announced retirement from international cricket following death threats, is eager to make a come-back in the national side and said that he will soon meet the Pakistan Cricket Board to clear his position.

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ZULQARNAIN HAIDER EAGER TO GET BACK IN INTERNATIONAL CRICKET

Former Pakistan wicket-keeper batsman, Zulqarnain Haider, has admitted missing international cricket. He announced retirement from the sport after receiving life threats from unknown people in Pakistan. However, he has shown intentions of making a comeback to the national side after Pakistan police arrested eight bookies from Sialkot, allegedly behind the threat calls to Haider.

The troubled keeper stated, “My cricket has already suffered a lot and I miss playing. I had worked very hard to get into the national side and I don’t know why I was targeted by the bookmakers. But I think the stance I took against corruption is equally important as playing for Pakistan.”

Commenting on his hardships, Haider added, “I started playing cricket in a shadow of crisis. Aged 13, I lost my mother but still managed to continue playing cricket. I never knew that things would turn out this way. I hope that with serious steps, a time will come when our cricket will become clean”

Haider was ready to clear things with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). He was well aware about his bad image in the board and country, but wanted to speak to everyone for normalising things.

Although the keeper batsman made his intentions clear to everyone, Chief Selector of PCB, Mohsin Hasan Khan revealed that Haider would only be considered for selection once cleared by the board.

The Pakistan cricket team has suffered a lot in the recent past and 2010 was a year of controversies for the Men in Green. Three top players, Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were suspended from any form of cricket following spot-fixing allegations. The trio was later found guilty and banned from playing.

Just when things looked to be heading towards a right direction, Haider fled to London, claiming his life was under threat. Pakistan were left without any wicket-keeper for the final game of the five-match One Day International (ODI) series in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The youngster then claimed asylum in UK, as he didn’t feel safe back home. He also wanted his family to be with him, as they were also receiving threat calls. However, the government of Pakistan guaranteed security to Haider and brought him back to Pakistan.

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