Azhar's new wicket

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, MARCH 10. Former Indian cricket captain Mohammed Azharuddin is back in the news for a different reason. Coming out of hibernation after the cricket match fixing scandal, Azharuddin, along with wife and ex-model-actress Sangeeta Bijlani, now wants to entertain society and do charity work.

The couple launched the `Azhar Sangeeta Management Services Ltd', "a global entertainment company" here on Saturday which will organise events, concerts, fashion shows and various other entertaining events. They are starting off with a fashion show `The Fabled Peacock' on Sunday at the Hotel Taj Krishna in aid of the Gujarat earthquake victims.

An "Azhar Sangeeta AIDS Foundation" to provide with education, counselling and support for HIV-infected persons and `Crystal Awards' for honouring talents of the South Indian film industry are some of the allied services which ASMS will be starting this year.

Azharuddin flanked by Sangeeta did not want to talk about anything related to the match fixing charges or cricketing matters. His answer to repeated queries by newsmen was either "the matter is sub-judice" or "my solicitors are the best persons to answer this question".

The tainted cricketer said he always wanted to give something back to society. "There is a lot of development going on in the city with the growth of information technology and people are starved of entertainment. That is where we step in," he said. Would he take up events like cricket matches too? "Of course," he smiled. They might even take up managing upcoming sportspersons too.

The AIDS Foundation was set up in 1999 but "I was actively playing cricket and did not want to mix business and politics. I wanted to concentrate on one thing at a time," he said. Does that mean his cricketing days are over? "I do not want to talk about cricket," he said.

"Many do not know that I was a great fan of Magic Johnson and was very sad when he got AIDS. Like many others I was devastated on hearing about the quake in Gujarat. So, I wanted to do my bit," the former Test cricketer explained. But, hasn't his image taken a dent? "I hope not," he said, even while admitting that his proposed cricket academy has taken a back seat.

"I hate controversies and I was always asked to make comments which I was not prepared to talk. I have always been honest and frank," he said when asked why he shunned the media in recent times. "Anyway, that is all in the past. I want to look ahead," he said.

Sangeeta said ASMS was planning to organise another fashion show in Bangalore next month and her own TV production firm was making plans to produce Telugu serials in local channels.

Azharuddin served a life ban by the Board for Cricket Control in India (BCCI) refused to comment on the Indian cricket side's debacle in Mumbai. "I do not want to say anything because I played with these guys." Any suggestions? "I wish them good luck," he guffawed. The Australians are a good side, he observed.

He read about the "thaili" matches only in newspapers. And, he has not met any of his former cricketing team mates; he does not watch cricket on television regularly either. "I watch cricket only off and on because I have been very busy," he said.

Azharuddin said he was defending himself in the court and preferred that to reaching out to the public on the match fixing charges. "Public opinion can change anytime. I don't regret anything," was his pithy comment.

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Section  : Southern States
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