Zulqarnain ignored by domestic teams for T20 season

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Zulqarnain Haider, Pakistan wicketkeeper has failed to find himself in any team for the upcoming Pakistan domestic T20 tournament. The tournament will be played from September 25, at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

After the big success of Faysal Bank Super Eight T20 Cup in Faisalabad, PCB had decided to allocate the next domestic T20 to a smaller city. The tournament was initially scheduled to take place in Rawalpindi, but delay in the renovation work at the stadium meant Rawalpindi was stripped off the event in favour of Lahore. The event will feature 13 regional teams and a side from Afghanistan.

The teams will be divided in two groups of seven. The other teams are Lahore Lions, Lahore Eagles, Karachi Dolphins, Karachi Zebras, Rawalpindi Rams, Sialkot Stallions, Islamabad Leopards, Abbottabad Falcons, Multan Tigers, Quetta Bears, Peshawar Panthers, Faisalabad Wolves and Hyderabad Hawks.

Zulqarnain, hailing from Lahore, was not selected by Lahore City Cricket association for both of its teams, Lahore Eagles and Lahore Lions. Last year he played for the Eagles team, but now he has been replaced by Adnan Akmal, whose elder brother will represent the Lions.

President of the Lahore region, Khawaja Nadeem explained that they wanted a player who is fit and in form, and as Haider was out of action so he was ignored. Zulqarnain said: "It is disappointing to not be considered in either of the Lahore teams because this is my home region and if they don't select me, who will."

Zulqarnain had fled team hotel in Dubai for UK in November 2010, where he last played for Pakistan in an ODI against South Africa. He sought asylum, after announcing international retirement, on the pretext that was being victimized because he had refused to be drawn into match-fixing. He later withdrew the application and returned to Pakistan in April this year, after getting assurances from Pakistan’s interior ministry.

A PCB committee fined him in June as he announced his come back. After all these events, Zulqarnain finds himself standing alone. No team is signing him, despite the fact that he itching to make a domestic return for the bigger purpose of getting international recall.

The majority of the blame lies with Zulqarnain himself. The way he abandoned his team, and then after levelling serious allegations against his teammates, his unconditional comeback and his failure to prove any thing has made him a laughing stock.

After being ditched by Lahore, he contacted Karachi and Multan but did not get the nod from them either. He is desperate to play again but it seems he has to wait a little longer before he is seen in action again.