Hang me if I am guilty, says Saqlain Mushtaq

Saqlain was named as benificiary’ along with Mushtaq Ahmed, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Waqar Younis and Moin Khan in last year’s interim report by the PCB.

Team skipper Wasim Akram, Ijaz Ahmed and Salim Malik were suspended by the committee on the basis of that report. “I have never been asked by any senior player to play poorly. I have never seen any player involved in such a practice,” Saqlain said, adding “but people are still throwing dirt on me.

“I have been disturbed. You cannot even imagine how much it hurts because I always play for my country and pray for its success,” he said.

The off-spinner plays for English county Surrey and has bagged 27 wickets in three matches.

The 22-year-old Saqlain said he planned toundergo treatment to an injured right knee in England. “I played in the World Cup literally limping with severe pain just because I wanted to do good for my team and my country. But even then people accuse us for losing the final against Australia,” he said.

“Every team wins and loses. It has good days and it has bad days. The same happened with our team and we never deserve such a treatment,” he said.

“They level allegations without thinking they are not only accusing the players but also defaming pakistan. For me Pakistan comes first, as my identity comes from my country,” he said.

“Even if I perform well in the county championship, then the newspapers say Pakistani off-spinner Saqlain… So Saqlain is a Pakistani,” he said.

Saqlain is the youngest cricketer to take 200 wickets in One-Day Internationals. He has 203 wickets from 108 one-day matches.