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| October 21, 2006 | Saturday | Ramazan 27, 1427 |
Salim Malik hopeful of clearance after Azharuddin case
LAHORE, Oct 20: Former Pakistan cricket captain Salim Malik said India's decision to pardon disgraced star Mohammad Azharuddin has raised his hopes of overturning his own life ban for match-fixing.
Indian cricket authorities said Thursday they planned to resurrect Azharuddin from a life of shame despite objections from sport's governing body, the International Cricket Council.
“I can't tell you how happy I was on learning that Azhar's ban will be lifted soon. It's a ray of hope for me that I should get a similar reprieve from Pakistan,” Malik told AFP on Friday.
“My pleas have fallen on deaf ears, nobody wants to listen to my requests. It has been just like six years of imprisonment for me.”
The stylish 43-year-old batsman currently lives a secluded life in the eastern city of Lahore and is still waiting for the outcome of a Supreme Court appeal against his ban.
Pakistan banned Malik for life in 2000 following a judicial inquiry into match-fixing allegations that resulted from allegations by Australian players Shane Warne, Tim May and Mark Waugh.
Warne and May alleged Malik offered them money to underperform in a Test in Karachi in 1994, while Waugh said Malik asked him to bat poorly in a one-day match during the same tour.
Malik was also accused of wrongdoing by team-mates and his name was mentioned in India's inquiry into Azharuddin case.
The ban ended Malik's impressive 19-year career during which he scored 5,768 runs in 103 Tests and 7,170 in 263 ODIs.—AFP
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