Azharuddin said he always
believed in the "almighty Allah" and his conscience was clear during his
12-year long battle to clear his name of the match-fixing charges.
"I am grateful to the Indian cricket board
for whatever cricket I have played. It is all because of them. I had no
complaints against the board during my playing career. I have got a lot
in life from cricket," Azharuddin told reporters at his official
residence here.
Azharuddin said he was never hurt with the BCCI's action. "I was
never hurt with their action. That was their line of thinking. I can't
blame them for that," he said.
Asked if he feels that the BCCI
would not pursue the case any longer after Pakistan also went soft on
Salim Malik, a former captain who too was banned for life, Azharuddin
said: "It is tough to say. But I think it has been a good move to bring
back the banned cricketers in the normal fold of life."
Malik's name also figured in the
inquiry conducted by India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that
led to life bans on Azharuddin and Delhi cricketer Ajay Sharma.
Azharudding said he was looking forward to work with the BCCI to develop Indian cricket.
"I am open to working with the BCCI. But it is up to them," he said.
Azharuddin, now a Congress MP
from Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, said he played the game honestly and was a
relieved man as the court struck down the BCCI's ban as "illegal". The
BCCI Dec 5, 2000, banned Azharuddin and Delhi cricketer Ajay Sharma for
life from playing professional cricket on charges of match-fixing.
"I have always played the game
honestly and with command. Today I am a relieved man after what I have
suffered for the last 12 years. I fought this battle for so long with
patience. It has been a tough battle and I am grateful to everyone who
has supported me during this difficult period."
As soon as the news broke out,
Congress party workers and fans burst crackers at his residence near
Lodhi Gardens. Amidst the huge media presence, party colleagues and
friends came with bouquets to congratulate him. It was certainly early
Diwali at C-1/12, Lodhi Garden.
But amidst the celebrations and
cracker fire, Azharuddin remembered his younger son Ayazuddin, who died
last year in a road accident.
"The last year has been very
tough. Today I want to be happy with my elder son Abbas. I wish the
judgment had come a bit early," he said.
Asked who all from the cricket
fraternity supported him during the last 12 years, Azharuddin said: "I
always got support from Raj Singh Dungarpur, Kapil paaji and Kamal
Morarka."
When the BCCI banned him, Azharuddin was left stranded on 99 Tests. Asked if he regrets not having completed 100 Test matches, Azharuddin said: "I think I was probably destined to play 99 Test matches, hence played that many. I believe what has to happen, will happen."
Azharuddin, however, regretted not having scored more than 22 Test centuries.
"I have 22 centuries. I think the way I started with three
consecutive centuries, I should have got around 27-28 centuries. But I
have no regrets. I led the team for nine years with success. That is how
life is," he said.
The former India captain also thanked the Congress party for its support.
"I am grateful to the party for
the support. Three years ago when I decided to join politics, they
always believed in me. I didn't know abc of elections but the party
stood by me during the tough time," he said.
Azharuddin had challenged the
Indian cricket board's decision in the Hyderabad civil court, which
upheld the ban. He then moved the Andhra Pradesh High Court against the lower court's order. His lawyers argued that the BCCI imposed the ban without any evidence.
Azharuddin, one of India's most
successful captains, played 99 Tests and scored 6,215 runs during his
career. He also played 334 One-Day Internationals scoring 9,378 runs in
his 15-year international career.
No comments:
Post a Comment