"I said 'We Don't Need You'" - Fortune Barishal Owner Takes Back Match-Fixing Allegations Against Shoaib Malik, Says He Went on Leave

The Pakistani all-rounder Shoaib Malik was the target of charges of fixing made by Fortune Barishal, a Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) team. These suspicions were sparked by claims made by team owner Mizanur Rahman over the air.

Malik cost his team the match in the BPL when he bowled three no-balls in one over against the Khulna Tigers. Social media users began to make accusations of match-fixing, which gained traction when Mizanur informed Channel 24 that the Bangladesh Cricket Board's Anti-Corruption Unit was looking into the "absurd" incident.

I deeply regret the rumor regarding Shoaib Malik. He is a great player. He gave us his best. So we should not make a ruckus about it. We lost two consecutive matches so we should focus on the upcoming matches and hopefully, we will turn around. Thank you for being around Fortune Barishal
~he said in a video message on social media.

Malik gave the rumors additional fuel when he participated in a second BPL encounter before departing for the United Arab Emirates. Afterward, Mizanur claimed in an interview with Cricbuzz that Malik requested a leave of absence until February 6 but that he was asked not to return.

Shoaib Malik was expected to stay with us till February 14 and after the last match he went to Dubai and later asked me whether he could come [back] on February 6, but our main games are after that [14th] so it won't help if he comes on 6th and so I said 'we don't need you'.

But it had got nothing to do with all the things that is coming up in media like we terminated his contract due to match-fixing allegations
~he added

The former Pakistani international claimed that the match-fixing allegations were "baseless" and that he departed Bangladesh for some pre-arranged media engagement in a statement posted on his social media accounts.

"I was just sharing my thoughts" - Fortune Barishal owner on his comments on Shoaib Malik

About his TV comments, Mizanur said he didn't 'stand by' them and was unaware that the broadcaster would telecast them.

It's unfortunate because I was just sharing my thoughts with them and they telecasted it. We speak and discuss many things but that does not imply we are standing by it. But still, l I feel that I shouldn't have spoken that way
~he said

In addition to endangering Malik's career, the match-fixing allegations have damaged the reputation of the BPL.