LAHORE, Pakistan, 9 March 2004 — A civil court in Pakistan fined Wasim Akram after he failed to appear to defend charges of hurting religious sentiments by modeling in an Indian liquor advertisement, officials said yesterday.
“Judge Musheer Rao gave ex-parte decision against Wasim as he did not appear before the court despite being summoned through newspaper advertisement,” a court official said.
The 37-year-old record breaking pacer was summoned in September following a private petition charging that he damaged Muslim sentiment for posing in a liquor advertisement.
The petition, filed by civilian Mohammad Fayyaz, demanded a public apology from Wasim and payment of damages amounting to 25,000 rupees (about US$400).
The judge accepted the plea and ordered Wasim to pay damages and apologize, court officials said. Wasim is one of eight international players who modeled for the Indian company Royal Stag.
Others included India’s Harbhajan Singh, Australia’s Glen McGrath, Jonty Rhodes of South Africa, Mervyn Dillon of the West Indies, Stephen Fleming of New Zealand, Marvan Atapattu of Sri Lanka and Andy Flower of Zimbabwe.
Wasim denied the accusations, saying he worked for an Indian company which also manufactures sports equipment.
Wasim’s lawyer Chaudhry Fawwad said his client never received any summons and if he receives a court order he would fight the case which he described as baseless.
Windies Set to Unleash Novice Pace Attack on English
In Kingston, the West Indies look set to field an inexperienced four-pronged pace attack in the first Test against England which gets under way on Thursday.
The West Indies selectors cut Dave Mohammed, the one specialist sprinter, from the squad when they reduced it from 16 to 13 yesterday and it looks as if Corey Collymore, Fidel Edwards, Tino Best and Adam Sanford.
Another young speedster Dwight Washington was also dropped from the squad, though the selectors insisted it had nothing to do with the 20-year-old being reported for having a suspect bowling action.
They are not without players who can bowl occasional spin with all-rounders Ricardo Powell and Ryan Hinds capable of spinning the ball while batsmen Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan are capable of filling in and giving the fast bowlers a rest.
