Three members of the Pakistan A team that won the EurAsia Cricket Series final against India A on Friday in Abu Dhabi had to spend nearly three hours in jail after one of their friends got a speeding ticket in Dubai.
According to available details, Misbah-ul-Haq and Taufeeq Umar who have both played for the Pakistan senior team and wicket-keeper Zulqarnain Haider were rescued from the lock-up by local organisers.
A team official in Abu Dhabi told ‘The News’ that the three players were returning from Dubai with a friend who lives in Abu Dhabi after doing some shopping.
“The boys had gone out for some shopping and while returning to Abu Dhabi their friend who was driving was hauled up for over-speeding by the traffic police.
“Since the police didn’t know who they were all four were taken to a local police station where they spent nearly three hours before being bailed out by local organisers who went to the station accompanied by manager Shafiq Ahmed Paapa and coach Rashid Khan.
“It was nothing but a simple case of traffic violation in which our players were not even directly involved. They were released after due procedure of the traffic laws were followed by the policemen. But the local organisers were very cooperative,” the official said.
However, by Saturday evening rumours were circulating in Pakistan about an alleged sex scandal involving players of the Pakistan team, an allegation angrily rejected by the official.
“Nothing like that has happened. It is all rubbish. It was nothing but a traffic violation and the boys went out today which was a rest day for shopping that is all,” he claimed.
However, one could understand the reason for the rumours starting to circulate since some Pakistani cricketers in the past have been involved in sex scandals at home and abroad.
