Veteran journalist Saleem Khaliq has linked the recent arrest of Pakistani cricketer Haider Ali in England to a long history of off-field controversies involving national players, calling for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to impose tighter discipline on tours.

 

Writing on X, Saleem recalled an incident from 2005 during his first trip to Australia. “One day, I went to a restaurant for lunch, and by coincidence, two Pakistani cricketers also arrived there. Back then, there was not the kind of distance between players and the media that we see nowadays. They both came and sat at my table,” he wrote.

 

Control the Cricketers

Saleem khaliq

This happened in 2005, when I went to Australia for the first time. One day, I went to a restaurant for lunch, and by coincidence, two Pakistani cricketers also arrived there. Back then, there wasn’t the kind of distance between players and…

— Saleem Khaliq (@saleemkhaliq) August 11, 2025

 

As they chatted, a waitress approached with something about the order. “As she was leaving, one cricketer said to the other, ‘If she were beautiful, you would have instantly befriended her.’ Hearing this, the waitress returned and quietly whispered, ‘I am from Bangladesh, and I understand Urdu.’ The cricketer was so embarrassed he wished the ground would swallow him and got angry at his friend for making such a comment on his behalf,” Saleem said.

 

A few days later, however, Saleem said the same player was caught up in a rape case in Australia and only narrowly avoided serious trouble.

 

The incident in Australia he referred to was likely during Pakistan’s 2005 visit for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, when a woman approached the Centre Against Sexual Assault (CASA) claiming she had been raped by a member of the touring side. No formal police complaint was filed. The PCB conducted an internal investigation and closed the case citing lack of evidence. Media speculation pointed to a senior flamboyant player, but no name was confirmed.

 

Former pacer Shoaib Akhtar later said he was wrongly suspected due to his public profile and that the matter actually stemmed from a misunderstanding between another teammate and the woman. He said the PCB cleared him and that his return home was for fitness reasons, not because of the allegation.

 

Pakistani cricketers in England and Australia often befriend women. For many, the goal is to secure a foreign passport through marriage. Some have successfully used this formula, but those only passing time often end up in trouble when they fail to keep their “promise of…

— Saleem Khaliq (@saleemkhaliq) August 11, 2025

 

“I was shocked, he seemed so decent, how could he end up in such a situation? Someone then told me, ‘Do not judge people by the innocence of their face,’” Saleem added.

 

Saleem noted that many Pakistani cricketers come from poor backgrounds and are unprepared for the sudden fame, travel, and wealth that come with playing at the top level. “It is common for certain women to visit the players’ rooms and some players even book a second hotel room to avoid scandals,” he said. According to him, “Bookmakers take full advantage of this playboy behaviour, trapping players in honey traps and recording videos to blackmail them.”

 

He referred to former opener Sharjeel Khan’s statement about being blackmailed with videos before his fixing ban and credited Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam for improving team culture in recent years.

 

Turning to the Haider Ali case, Saleem called it shameful that “a player was arrested directly from the ground” during the Pakistan Shaheens’ tour of England. He questioned why the PCB did not send a manager with this tour. “Players are not children, but they still need guidance, to be reminded that on tours they are ambassadors of the country,” he wrote.

 

He warned that if influential figures fail to resolve the case quietly, Haider could face prison. “One mistake can not only ruin their career but also disgrace their entire family. Nowadays, women working for bookies often pose as fans. On social media, people also try to befriend players under false identities. Once trapped, a player is blackmailed,” he said.

 

Saleem urged young cricketers to be cautious. “Go abroad to play cricket, move around in groups with the team official’s permission, and never go alone to someone’s home on an invitation. The Board must take strict measures to avoid future embarrassment, otherwise be prepared for more such incidents,” he concluded.

 

It merits mention that a few days ago, Pakistani cricketer Haider Ali was arrested in Manchester over allegations of sexual assault. According to reports citing England police, the batter has been summoned again in two weeks as part of the investigation and barred from leaving the United Kingdom (UK) in the meantime.

 

The alleged incident took place during the recent Pakistan Shaheens tour of England. The PCB has provisionally suspended Haider, confirmed he is under investigation by Manchester Police, and said it will provide him legal assistance to protect his rights. The board stated he will remain suspended until the case is resolved and will face possible disciplinary action after the legal proceedings conclude.