Zaheer claims victory for Pakistan by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Player:	Zaheer Abbas
Event:	Pakistan in British Isles 2006

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DateLine: 27th August 2006

 

Pakistan tour manager and batting legend Zaheer Abbas has said his side had been vindicated after umpire Darrell Hair’s cash-for-resignation offer came to the fore. The Australian umpire now living in England had sought $500,000 from the ICC in a golden handshake proposal.

 

After the forfeit of The Oval Test, Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq was charged with ball-tampering and bringing the game into disrepute. Though Inzamam's case is not due for hearing until the middle of September, Hair has made a hash of his peace offer.

 

"This is a huge victory, and it makes a strong case for us to be cleared on ball-tampering," Zaheer told the BBC Asian Network. "We were very confident that we hadn't tampered with the ball. We didn't like the way the whole thing was projected to the world. It has also vindicated our case."

 

Even though Hair later rescinded his offer, Zaheer said it helped prove Pakistan's protest at The Oval was "legitimate". "This also proves our protest on the fourth day of the final Test was legitimate," Zaheer added. "This is a moral victory for us, and it's good that now this issue can reach its conclusion."

 

The Pakistan great said the result of the match, an England win that gave the hosts the series 3-0, could also be revised. "As for whether we need to revise the result of the last Test match which was forfeited to England we'll have to discuss it with the parties concerned."

 

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan had already called on the ICC to ban Hair from standing in any future Pakistan matches. Zaheer also said Pakistan's players were happy the one-day series - scheduled to start with a Twenty20 match in Bristol on Monday - was going ahead. "The boys are jubilant with this news. All along we maintained that we were innocent, and it's now been proven right," he added.