Cricketer Shoaib Malik on Friday responded to reports regarding the termination of his contract with Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) franchise Fortune Barishal, saying he had left the country due to a “pre-committed media engagement in Dubai”.

The statement came after several media outlets, without citing a clear source, reported that Shoaib’s BPL contract was terminated over suspicions of match-fixing.

According to Bangladeshi news outlet The Daily Star, Shoaib had flown to Dubai after the Dhaka phase of the BPL.

The report said he was scheduled to join the team before the Sylhet phase, which started today, but the all-rounder would not take any further part in the tournament.

“Malik’s sudden departure raised a few eyebrows, especially when considering his bizarre bowling in his last when he bowled three no-balls in an over,” the report said.

Shoaib posted a message on X today, saying, “I would like to address and dismiss the recent rumors circulating about my playing position with Fortune Barishal.

“I had a thorough discussion with our captain, Tamim Iqbal, and we mutually planned the way forward. I had to leave Bangladesh for a pre-committed media engagement in Dubai,” he said.

“I extend my best wishes to Fortune Barishal for their upcoming matches, and if needed, I am available to support them if needs be,” he said.

“I want to emphasise the importance of exercising caution when it comes to rumors, especially those circulating recently. I want to make it clear that I strongly refute these baseless rumors,” he said.

“It’s crucial for everyone to verify information before believing and spreading it. Falsehoods can harm reputations and create unnecessary confusion. Let’s prioritise accuracy and rely on credible sources to ensure a clear understanding of the facts,” he said.

Shoaib also shared a video of franchise owner Mizanur Rahman, which was subtitled in English, in which he said that the there had been a lot of talk online about Shoaib, terming it “wrong and completely a misconception”.

“Shoaib Malik played his level best. We have nothing to complain to anyone,” Rehman said, adding that he had not contacted news channels or anyone else.

“Don’t try to make a big fuss out of this,” he added. He expressed the hope that his team could reach the finals and play well.

Fortune Barishal also posted a video of Rahman on its official Facebook page, saying: “Don’t believe in such rumours made by yellow media’s [sic]. Shoaib Malik is a senior player. We should respect him and he deserve [sic] respect.”

According to The Daily Star, Rahman — who was speaking in Bengali in the video — said, “We have heard many things about Shoaib Malik in the past few days and I protest those rumours. Shoaib Malik is a good player and he has given his best for the team. So we don’t want to discuss the issue anymore.

“Since we lost two consecutive matches, we would want to concentrate on our upcoming games and look to win the next match and reach the final,” he added.

Additional reporting by Imran Siddique