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Zulqarnain exit is shameful for Pakistan, says Imran

Former captain Imran Khan has called for a clean-up of Pakistan cricket and said wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider’s sudden exit to Britain to seek asylum was a ‘shameful’ incident.

‘It is really shameful the way he left the team and reached London,’ Imran told the Geo News channel on Wednesday.

‘At the moment we don’t know the facts that compelled him to do this but nevertheless it is another embarrassing moment for Pakistan and its people.

‘Sadly this incident only gives credence to the feeling our players are linked with bookmakers or are controlled by them. The recent spot-fixing allegations have not been helpful at all for Pakistan cricket,’ added Imran.

Zulqarnain fled the team’s hotel in Dubai on Monday, hours before the fifth and final one-dayer against South Africa, and flew to London.

The 24-year-old, who has played one test, four one-dayers and three Twenty20 games for Pakistan, also announced his international retirement because he said he feared for his safety after being ordered to cooperate with match-fixers.

Zulqarnain was a member of the squad whose tour of England this year degenerated into chaos when test captain Salman Butt and pacemen Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were suspended following spot-fixing allegations.

DELIBERATE NO-BALLS

A newspaper report said the trio had arranged for deliberate no-balls to be delivered in the fourth and final test against England.

Imran, now a frontline politician, said he was never threatened in his 21 years in international cricket.

‘Sadly this (Zulqarnain) incident only gives credence to the feeling our players are linked with bookmakers or are controlled by them,’ said the great all-rounder.

‘We need to clean up the administration and the team and those players who, if they are involved in corruption, should not be spared,’ added Imran.

‘We need to do this since it is better than the Pakistani people facing shame and embarrassment on a daily basis because of our cricket.’

Imran dismissed the idea the International Cricket Council (ICC) governing body was against Pakistan.

‘I don’t think the ICC is against us,’ he said. ‘Those days are gone when only Australia, England and New Zealand could run world cricket.

‘Whatever problems we face today it is because of our own shortcomings and mistakes.’