Alam defends Pak team management over Haider’s exit to UK

DUBAI - Pakistan team manager Intikhab Alam has played down talks that the management knew about wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider’s decision to leave the team’s hotel or that he had received threats from bookmakers.

Haider has sensationally quit international cricket after he fled from Dubai to London on Monday. The 24-year-old has claimed that he had received death threats from bookmakers after he refused to fix two matches of the ODI series against South Africa.

“This is irresponsible to say that the management knew of Haider’s plans to flee to London,” the Daily Times quoted Alam, as saying.

“When Haider did not board the bus to the ground on Monday we contacted Dubai police and gave them a copy of his passport,” he added.

The team manager confirmed that Dubai Police had informed them about Haider’s departure to London.

“We only came to know it around noon when they (Dubai police) told us that a passenger by that name had left for London in the morning,” Alam said.

“How can you blame the team management, we had no clue of any threats and his programme, and Haider has himself admitted that he didn’t tell anyone and took his passport on the pretext of getting a mobile sim (card),” he added.

Alam further stressed that the wicketkeeper was clean and not involved in any wrongdoings.

“Haider broke our trust, but I can say with confidence that he is a clean person and was not involved in anything wrong,” Alam said.

Earlier, Alam had acknowledged that he knew that Haider had gone missing before leaving for the stadium. (ANI)