"You will make lots of money if you help us. If not..."

Pakistan wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider is seeking asylum in the United Kingdom for himself and his family, he said on Tuesday.

Zulqarnain said in an interview shown on Geo News Channel that he was forced to apply for asylum because of the circumstances that made him flee the team hotel in Dubai after being approached to get involved in match-fixing.

“I had no intention of applying for asylum. I have put my cricket career at stake. I could have earned much more coming here as a Pakistani player without any issues,” Zulqarnain said.

The wicketkeeper, who announced his retirement from international cricket on Tuesday, said he had to come to London after getting threats for not co-operating with match-fixers.

Zulqarnain, 24, said he felt unable to continue in the Pakistan team after being approached by a person staying in the same hotel who asked him to fix the fourth and fifth one-day internationals against South Africa.

“He was in the same hotel,” Zulqarnain said. “I didn’t go to the management with my problem because I feared for my safety and for their safety. I took the decision to come to London after coming under lot of pressure after the fourth one-day match.”

"When I went out of the hotel to eat dinner he came up. He was alone but I felt there were two-three people behind him. I can describe him. He spoke Urdu but I cannot describe the accent accurately," Haider said.

"He said 'you will make lots of money if you join us and help us. If not, then staying in the team could be difficult and we can make things difficult for you'. I don't know why I was approached and others weren't."

Zulqarnain, who arrived in London on Monday, scored 19 not out to lead Pakistan to victory in the last over of the fourth one-dayer against South Africa, levelling the series at 2-2.

He also made it clear that people saying he had manufactured the whole episode to seek asylum in the UK were wrong.
“I could have come here as a Pakistani cricketer often and earned far more. I have been to the UK many times before, but I never thought about remaining here,” he said.

“I had a promising career to look forward to as a Pakistan player. Now my entire career is at stake,” he said.
“I want my family to be with me here as I also fear for their safety.”

Zulqarnain said he had been granted a temporary stay in the UK until his case was processed and that he had been interviewed by British border office, the International Cricket Council’s anti-corruption unit and Scotland Yard.

The Pakistan ambassador to the UK, Wajid Shamsul Hasan, said the player had not approached him for any assistance.
“I don’t know what is his case, but I know that you only get political asylum in the UK if you are being prosecuted by your government. If he comes to us we will guide and assist him in every way possible,” Hasan said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Haider announced his retirement from international cricket after abandoning the team and flying to London, saying he had received death threats.

"I am retiring from international cricket," Haider told Pakistan's Geo television by telephone from London.
"There is too much pressure on me, I have received death threats, my family has received threats," he said in the interview, without naming anyone or elaborating in precise detail on why he was threatened.

The PCB said on Monday it would launch an inquiry into Haider's case and said he should have told team managers about the threats, but Haider said he kept quiet to protect other players.

"If I had told the PCB or players, it would've gotten out and then who knows? I don't feel it would've been better to tell anyone or authorities there. If I had told any of the other players, it might have put them in trouble also," he said.
Haider thanked the PCB for giving him a chance to play for Pakistan.

"I would like to thank the chairman and selectors for supporting me and selecting me. The management has not put me under any pressure over anything," he said.
 

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