Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Pakistan's wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider is seeking asylum in the UK and confirmed that he is retiring from international cricket having reportedly received death threats after refusing to assist bookmakers influence the outcome of matches, writes Abu George.
His actions and subsequent comments have led to passionate yet wildly contrasting views. Opponents point to the inconsistency of his version of events, apparent abandonment of his family in Pakistan and failure to follow the correct protocol as endorsement of ulterior motives. His backers believe he is brave in taking such strong action and feel vindicated by what they refer to as the endemic corruption within Pakistani cricket.
From a personal view, I was surprised, once the story broke out, at how quickly the Pakistan team rallied to state that he had not absconded but had travelled to the UK, after hitting the winning runs in the fourth ODI against South Africa, with their blessings.
My own initial reaction was that he must have flown from Dubai to secure a lucrative county contract. Of all the Asian countries it is players from Pakistan that tend to succeed in English conditions and Haider has shown enough quality in his few appearances to suggest he will offer a safe pair of hands and valuable runs in all formats of the game.
After initially stating that he was not seeking asylum he subsequently reversed this statement. It would be a surprise if his application were to be granted. Under current regulations he must prove that he is being persecuted by his government, but with the Pakistan authorities publicly offering him their backing, this could be difficult to achieve.
A simpler route could be to play in the UK for four years and qualify for residency on that basis. I doubt there will be any shortage of offers to keep him in warm coats over the winter months.
I also believe that, no matter whether his motives are altruistic or otherwise, he has been brave to take this course of action. Haider could have reported the initial approaches and subsequent death threats to either the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) or the ICC's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit.
But, if he distrusts both options, as some have suggested (including International Players' Union chief Tim May), he may have seen no other alternative. It's difficult to understand the stress he is under, with the corresponding ability to make rational judgments, unless you have been placed in a similar situation.
The press in Pakistan has turned the death threats against him, claiming that he should have returned to be with his family. However, that supposes that Pakistan offers a safe-haven and that all within the PCB are beyond reproach.
There is no doubting that Pakistan cricket has experienced one of its worst years, starting with the in-fighting that surfaced on their tour of Australia, the issuance of subsequently rescinded long-term bans, continuing with the accusations of the illegal assistance provided to bookmakers in England and now culminating (perhaps) with the death threats and retirement of Haider.
I doubt we have heard the end of this saga and it may take years for the truth to be told.
