UNITED KINGDOM/PAKISTAN: CRICKET - Pakistan cricketer Zulqarnain Haider quits international cricket over safety fears

Record ID: 1375089

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM/PAKISTAN: CRICKET - Pakistan cricketer Zulqarnain Haider quits international cricket over safety fears
  • Date: 10th November 2010
  • Summary: LAHORE, PAKISTAN (NOVEMBER 8, 2010) (ANI - NO ACCESS BBC) POLICEMEN STANDING OUTSIDE THE HOUSE OF REZA HAIDER, BROTHER OF PAKISTANI WICKETKEEPER ZULQARNAIN HAIDER TWO POLICEMEN TALKING TO EACH OTHER POLICEMEN TALKING TO REZA HAIDER AT HIS HOUSE POLICEMEN EXITING THE HOUSE (SOUNDBITE) (Urdu) REZA HAIDER, BROTHER OF PAKISTANI WICKETKEEPER ZULQARNAIN HAIDER, SAYING: "When I spoke to him the second-last time, he was enthusiastic. But the last time when I spoke to him he told me he was getting threatening messages after the fourth match." PEOPLE, POLICEMEN AND MEDIA CROWDING OUTSIDE HAIDER'S HOUSE
  • Embargoed: 25th November 2010 03:32
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Pakistan
  • Country: Pakistan
  • Topics: Sport
  • Reuters ID: LVA85UNPSZLWZ9IT6TSRGNHYVY5A
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: Pakistan wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider quit international cricket on Tuesday (November 9) saying he feared for his safety after being ordered to cooperate with match-fixers during the recent one-day series with South Africa.
    Zulqarnain, 24, who said he had fled the team hotel before the start of the fifth one-dayer on Monday in Dubai and reached London hours later, told the Geo News channel he felt unable to continue in the Pakistan team after being approached by a person who asked him to fix the fourth and fifth one-dayers.
    "I have decided it is best for me to retire from international cricket since my family and I are constantly getting threats," he said.
    Zulqarnain, who scored an unbeaten 19 and hit the winning runs in the fourth one-dayer on Friday, left the team hotel hours before the fifth one-day match eventually won by South Africa who took the series 3-2.
    He landed in London hours after leaving Dubai and spent almost four hours locked in discussions with immigration authorities before finally emerging from Heathrow airport.
    "I was told to cooperate and I would get a lot of money in return or I would face lot of problems," Zulqarnain said. "I did what I felt was right. Telling someone about it could have put the whole team at risk."
    Zulqarnain said he had not yet decided whether to seek political asylum in Britain.
    Zulqarnain, who has played just one test and four ODIs, said he had gone to London because he felt safe there and knew that in Britain the law protected those in the right.
    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Monday the player had not informed them he was planning to leave the hotel nor had he told them the reason for his sudden decision.
    His brother told Reuters on Monday that Haider had told him he was getting threatening messages.
    "When I spoke to him the second-last time, he was enthusiastic. But the last time when I spoke to him he told me he was getting threatening messages after the fourth match," said Reza Haider.
  • Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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