Azhar wants to forget the past, High Court rejects life ban by BCCI

Hyderabad, Nov 8: After the Andhra Pradesh High Court Thursday overturned the life ban imposed on him, former India cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin said he is "a relieved man" and does not want to dwell on the past, having battled against the ban for 12 years."I am a relieved man. 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," Azhar told reporters at a press conference at his residence here shortly after the high court order.The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had Dec 5, 2000 banned the cricketer from playing professional cricket after he was found guilty of match-fixing charges.The Hyderabadi had challenged the Indian cricket board's decision in the city civil court, which upheld the ban. He then moved the high court against the lower court's order, his lawyers arguing that BCCI imposed the ban without any evidence."My name is cleared and I don't want to dwell upon what happened in the past. If people want to keep talking about the past I can't help them. I am happy, I have not done anything wrong and I do not have any regrets," said the 41-year-old Azhar, who is presently a Lok Sabha member from Moradabad constituency in Uttar Pradesh.Asked if he regrets not having completed 100 Test matches, stuck on 99, the wristy batsman said: "I think I was probably destined to play 99 Test matches hence played that many. I believe what has to happen, will happen."The court verdict has come as a major relief to Azhar, who had always maintained that the ban on him was unfair and the BCCI's decision was unilateral.Azhar, 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. The former Team India captain said he will not take legal action against the BCCI.The 49-year-old cricketer said he would not want to blame anybody for the pain he suffered in the past 12 years.“It was a long drawn out legal case and it was painful. We fought in the court for 11 years. There were lots of adjournments, changes in the case. But finally the verdict has come and I am happy that the ban has been lifted by the court,” Azharuddin said. Asked if he would take any legal action against BCCI, the former captain said, “I am not going to take any legal action against any authority and I don't want to blame anybody for this also. It is about destiny and whatever had to happen has happened. I don't have any complaint.”A bench of justices Ashutosh Mohanta and Krishna Mohan Reddy of the Andhra Pradesh High Court gave relief to Azharuddin, allowing his appeal challenging the order of a local court, which had upheld the decision of the BCCI.The bench lifted the ban agreeing with Azharuddin's counsel K Ramakant Reddy's argument that there was no evidence against the former cricketer that he succumbed to any pressure while playing cricket.Asked persistently if the ban was illegal, Azharuddin said, “That is why it was lifted. But I don't want to say much about this. I have said whatever I wanted to say at the court through my counsel.”“My conscience was clear and I was not happy by the ban. But I am the person to take things positively. I am happy now and want to move on,” said the former captain who ended his Test career at 99 matches because of the ban. Azharuddin refused to talk about the Hansie Cronje match-fixing episode, saying, “Hansie Cronje is no more and it is not right to talk about it now.”The then South African captain, Cronje, in his confession for match-fixing, had indicated that Azharuddin was the one who introduced him to the bookies.Azharuddin said it was important for him to clear his name in front of the eyes of the people of his constituency in Moradabad.“It was important for me to clear my name as I am representing the people of Moradabad. I am happy now in front of them,” said the Congress MP.He said that he would be happy if he gives back to the game whatever he had learnt in his career.“I want to give back to the game and I want to share the experience I have gained in my career to a youngster,” he said.Asked about the India-Pakistan limited-over series in December, Azharuddin said, “It's a welcome development and we should encourage cricket ties between the two countries.”The ban was imposed in 2000 by BCCI as per the suggestion of a three-member committee comprising its erstwhile president A C Muthaiah and two vice-presidents Kamal Morarka and K M Ram Prasad in the wake of allegations of match-fixing against Azharuddin.