Indian pacer Mohammed Shami has denied fresh allegations of match-fixing levelled against him by his wife Hasin Jahan and said he would rather die than do something like this.
Speaking to a Hindi news channel, Jahan on Thursday alleged that the 27-year-old fast bowler, despite being on the payroll of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), took money from a Pakistani girl named Alishba that which was delivered to him by a man called Mohammad Bhai, who stays in the UK.
“If Mohammed Shami can cheat me then he can cheat the country as well. He accepted money from a Pakistani girl named Alisbah in Dubai. He agreed to accept it after the insistence of England-based Mohammed Bhai. I have proof,” she told a news channel.
Shami said that all the allegations against him are completely baseless. Talking to ANI Shami said, "As far as the allegation of compromising my performance playing for the country is concerned, I would rather die than do something like this".
He added: "Hasin and her family have been saying that we will sit and talk out all issues, but I don't know who has been misleading her," Shami said.
The cricketer lashed out at his wife saying that she has "lost her mental balance".
"She has lost her mental stability. She has to prove all the allegations made against me. If I have tortured her then she needs to prove it," said Shami.
On Friday, an FIR was lodged against Shami after a written complaint was filed by the fast bowler's wife.
The FIR has been registered against Shami and his four other family members in Kolkata's Jadavpur police station under several Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections, including section 498A, which amounts to cruelty to a woman by her husband or his relatives.
The other charges recorded against Shami are under Section 307 - attempt to murder, Section 323 - punishment for voluntarily causing hurt, Section 376 - rape, Section 506 - criminal intimidation, Section 328 and Section 34.
The cricketer's wife Hasin Jahan had alleged that Shami abused her physically and mentally and was also involved in several extra-marital affairs.
Shami on Wednesday also found himself out of the BCCI 26-member annual contracts system, which saw the addition of a new category. Shami was in the B category in the last term.
"As far as cricket is concerned, I trust the BCCI will check this matter with their legal team and then take a decision on my contract. They must have thought about it before taking this decision," Shami said.
(With agency inputs)
