Pak wicketkeeper goes missing after receiving threats for not losing match

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan cricket is embroiled in one controversy after other and the latest is wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider going missing from team hotel ahead of the deciding ODI against South Africa in Dubai.

The PCB has begun an inquiry into the matter and has informed the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit as well as local security officials of Haider”s disappearance.

“He is missing and we found this out in the morning when getting ready to come to the stadium,” said Nadeem Sarwar, the PCB’s general manager of media.

“He did not say anything to the team management about this at all. We have initiated inquiries into the matter. The ACSU has been informed and is being kept in the loop. Local security officials have also been alerted,” Sarwar told ESPNcricinfo.

Raza Haider, Zulqarnain’s brother, said the wicketkeeper had reportedly received threats. “I spoke to Zulqarnain after the fourth ODI and he told me he had gotten some kind of threats after that game, but he gave no details,” Raza said.

A message left as a status update on the player’s Facebook page said: “leaving pakistan cricket because get bad msg fr 1 man fr lose the match in last game.”

The last match that his Facebook status seems to refer to is the fourth ODI of the series, another closely-fought thriller, in which Haider’s unbeaten 19 took Pakistan to victory with one wicket and one ball to spare, ESPNcricinfo reports.

A TV reporter for Geo, a leading Pakistani news channel, said that he had received a similar text message from Haider earlier on Monday and also an indication that he might fly to the UK. (ANI)