Zulqarnain Haider makes unforeseen return to cricket

Wicketkeeper last played for Pakistan six years ago

Former Pakistan wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider, who walked away from the national side to seek asylum in the United Kingdom, now plays private tennis ball T20 tournaments in the United States alongside his job in the banking sector.

Six years ago Zulqarnain was playing for Pakistan against South Africa in the United Arab Emirates. The five-match ODI series was all square when, on the morning of the fifth ODI, the wicketkeeper was nowhere to be found. He had abandoned the national team’s hotel and boarded a flight to the United Kingdom to seek asylum after he had allegedly received life-threatening calls to throw in the next match.

However, now it seems that the 30-year-old has picked up the pieces of his ill-fated career and moved into a different direction.

Zulqarnain recently played in the 10 Premier League tennis ball tournament, which offers highest prize money of 250,000 dirhams. He believes there is a career in tennis ball cricket.



“Tennis ball cricket can also be a career option,” he told in an interview to Press Trust of India. “One of my friends was a part of the organising committee so I played in the tournament.”

For the one Test wonder, the tournament also has a financial motivation. “The matches are completed in a short span of time and it is also lucrative,” he said.

He last played first-class cricket for ZTBL in 2014 and his last List A appearance was four years ago.



After getting rejected for asylum in United Kingdom, Zulqarnain returned to Pakistan and started working in a local bank. But since cricket was his bread and butter, he still uses his skill to add to his earnings.

“The bank job has helped me,” he said. “However, I recently went to the United States and played a few tournaments in Chicago, California and Washington. Two were T20 tournaments. So I am earning some money apart from the salary.”



Talking about the past, the 30-year-old said he doesn’t have any regrets. “I have always maintained that I had specific issues with a few players,” he said. “But those with whom I had problems with are no longer playing for the national team.”

Zulqarnain knows that it is unlikely that he would make it to the national team, but he still has hope of turning his luck. “I can still come back to the national side as a second wicketkeeper-batsman,” he said. “I know Sarfraz [Ahmed] is doing a good job with both bat and glove, but I can still be the second choice.”