‘PCB to go all-out in its defence’

Board ready in case wicket-keeper Haider takes legal action.

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has vowed to go all-out in its defence in case of a possible legal action taken by former wicket-keeper Zulqarnain Haider. Haider left a message on his Facebook page yesterday, planning to take legal action against the PCB and the members of the inquiry committee for casting doubts on his mental well-being.

“zulqarnain is ready now 2 sue pcb about mental illnes report and on all inquiry peoples,” wrote the wicket-keeper who fled from the team’s hotel in Dubai during the One-Day International series against South Africa in November. Haider claimed to have received death threats from match-fixers and sought asylum in the UK.

The incident was followed by the PCB forming a fact-finding committee to inquire the reasons for Haider’s desertion. The committee submitted a report in which it stated that Haider had a weak personality which might have led to the incident.

PCB ready to defend case

Meanwhile, the PCB legal advisor Tafazzul Rizvi said the board would leave no stone unturned in its defence.

“The PCB is ready to defend any charges,” Rizvi told The Express Tribune. “After successfully defending the case we will seek damages from the wicket-keeper besides filing a defamation case against him.”

The lawyer, however, expressed surprise over what grounds Haider will file a case in a Pakistan court.

“Initially I was surprised to see Haider’s message because he will be filing a case in a country that he has deemed insecure for himself,” said Rizvi.

“Haider himself is a fugitive who broke discipline and put the team in trouble by fleeing away. How can he file a case against the PCB,” said the legal advisor.

Rizvi was also sceptical if Haider’s plans held any value since the report was revealed weeks ago.

“The timing of his comment is also surprising. Why did he think of taking action now when the findings of the committee were revealed weeks ago.”

‘Tactics to gain media attention’

While Rizvi seemed confident, a top official said that frequent messaging by the wicket-keeper is just an attempt at gaining attention from the media.

“We will not comment until Haider takes any action,” the official told The Express Tribune.

“First, he says that he will announce the names of players he believed were involved in match-fixing and now this.

“Till now all he’s done is talk and not taken any action so we cannot take it seriously. Maybe these tactics will help him in his asylum case.”

Haider, who has applied for asylum in the UK and is currently residing on a temporary residence permit, has also claimed that the PCB is withholding £15,000 in wages although the PCB is yet to get a formal notice over the issue.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 25^th, 2011.