WELLINGTON-
Pakistan’s promising young all-rounder Haris Sohail complained of supernatural presence in his hotel room in New Zealand, forcing the management to shift him to another room.
According to media reports, Sohail woke up in the night scared, insisting there was a supernatural presence in his room.
He insisted on shifting to another room and by that time had developed high fever after which the team authorities pressed the Rydges Latimer hotel management to change his room immediately.
Pakistan’s World Cup squad is in New Zealand to play two one-day internationals and some warm up games before they move on to Australia for the mega event.
A spokesman for Rydges Latimer Christchurch last night said there was “no active ghost”.
“It’s hard to believe,” he said.
“They [Pakistan management] told me it was only a nightmare.
“I spoke with a team physiotherapist and other people on the team.
“He [Sohail] didn’t come to me but they wanted him to move rooms.
“He’s been sleeping in another room for about two nights now.”
A source said the hotel – built after the February 22, 2011 earthquake which claimed 115 lives when the multi-storey Canterbury Television building collapsed just 100m away – has not received any similar complaints in the past.
Sohail didn’t play during Pakistan’s first warm-up match on Sunday at Lincoln outside Christchurch playing against New Zealand President XI, which they lost.
Since his scare, Sohail has been unable to practice with the team, a source said.
Sohail played Pakistan’s second warm-up match against the New Zealand President XI at Lincoln and scored 6 runs off 25 balls before falling to Logan van Beek.
Last year, English cricket bowler Stuart Broad claimed to have experienced similar supernatural interactions.
Broad moved rooms at The Langham hotel in London after being convinced there were ghosts his room.