Lahore: Zulqarnain Haider created a flutter by defying the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) with his runaway act last year but the wicketkeeper broke down in tears and pleaded for mercy in the recent disciplinary hearing to escape with a light fine.
The PCB’s disciplinary committee, at last, imposed a fine of half a million rupees on Zulqarnain.
Sources close to the disciplinary committee, responding to the criticism on the gaping difference in the fines imposed on former one-day captain Shahid Afridi (Rs 4.5 million) and Zulqarnain, explained the reason for this.
“The committee was intent on imposing a fine of around Rs. 2 to Rs 2.5 million on Zulqarnain and banning him for a year as they were not happy with his conduct, when he tried to flee from the team hotel last November. He also sought asylum in London on grounds that he was under threat from a bookmaker,” a source said.
“Zulqarnain admitted his guilt before the disciplinary committee… He cried… He pleaded for mercy. His contention was that he should be forgiven as his mother had passed away while his father was a cancer patient and needed help all the time,” the source added.
When Zulqarnain pleaded for mercy, the committee decided to impose half a million rupees fine, the source disclosed.
“The biggest problem was that the money the cricket board owes to Zulqarnain is not more than Rs. 1.2 million. Even if we had recommended a heavy fine, the board would have struggled to recover the money from him. We also had to take into consideration his father’s illness and family issues,” the source explained.
This was the primary reason for the disciplinary committee going soft on Zulqarnain despite his serious breach of the code of conduct.
No comments:
Post a Comment