“The fact is that Kamran has not yet been cleared by the ICC of wrong doing and has only been cleared by the national selectors and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB),” Haider was quoted as saying. “If he has any clearance letter from the ICC he should show it publicly and if he doesn’t do that then I will be forced to come out with the truth,” he added.
Haider, who scored 84 on his Test debut against England in 2010 when Kamran was injured, said he would make some startling revelations about the involvement of some players in spot-fixing if Kamran didn’t show his clearance letter. Stating that he was forced to post his feelings as he wanted Pakistan cricket be clean and clear of corruption, Haider said, “I have said what is in my mind and until now I have kept quiet in the hope that the Pakistan board will not allow players with question marks surrounding their performances to play again.” Haider also told a private channel that chief selector Iqbal Qasim headed the same department for which Kamran played.
“That is why he has recalled Kamran and this should be investigated,” Haider added. Pakistan’s three banned players – Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif – who were jailed for spot-fixing last year have also played for National bank in domestic cricket. Meanwhile, according to sources, the PCB was looking into the latest statement by Haider and was not happy with him. “The PCB had told him to refrain from making statements while pardoning him last year and some disciplinary action could be taken against him,” the source said. PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf had claimed earlier that Kamran was picked in the team after the PCB sought advice from the ICC on his clearance. The ICC, however, made it clear that it had issued no clearance for Kamran and his selection was purely an internal matter of the PCB. Kamran was picked in the Pakistan squad last month for the Twenty20 matches. And on last Monday the selectors also included him in the ODI squad in place of Sarfraz Ahmed.
The experienced keeper was sidelined from the national team for about a year and a half after last appearing in the 2011 World Cup. His name was also mentioned in the spot-fixing trial held in London last year. Kamran, who is currently in Sri Lanka playing in the country’s premier league, has not commented on Haider’s latest outburst. “I have been selected in the Pakistan team and my focus right now is on just performing for my country,” said Akmal. Haider, in November 2010, created a huge controversy in Pakistan cricket when he fled from the team hotel in Dubai and flew to London where he claimed political asylum.
The wicketkeeper later said that he was forced to flee the hotel after being threatened by a bookmaker who wanted him to fix matches in the ODI series against South Africa. In early 2011, Haider returned to Pakistan on the assurances of interior minister Rehman Malik, who said he and his family would be provided security in Pakistan. The PCB fined him and later cleared him to play domestic cricket and last season he resumed his first class cricket career.
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