Discarded Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal has denied runaway cricketer Zulqarnain Haider’s claims about the involvement of his father-in-law in gambling. The now retired wicketkeeper, who had stunned everyone by fleeing the team hotel in Dubai hours before the final one-day international against South Africa last year, returned to Pakistan from a self-imposed exile in the United Kingdom on Monday.
Zulqarnain faces defamation charges from Kamran’s father after telling a press conference following his return that the latter was allegedly a book-maker and match-fixer. Kamran said that Zulqarnain’s statement was wrong, and that he must provide evidence in this regard or face the court of law. He also said that any member of his family could not even think about this cheap activity. Talking to a TV channel, Kamran urged the government to investigate the matter and punish those responsible.
He said that Zulqarnain’s statement was a big allegation, adding that he would consider his next strategy after consulting his adviser Saood Cheema. Kamran said that he never had any quarrel with Zulqarnain in domestic or international cricket, adding that he did not know as to why the former wicketkeeper was making these allegations. He also said that the PCB had conducted an inquiry before the 2011 World Cup, and had allowed him to play cricket after clearing him from all charges.
