"I said 'we don't need you'" - Fortune Barishal owner takes back match-fixing allegations against Shoaib Malik, says he went on leave

Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) franchise Fortune Barishal have retracted the fixing allegations pinned against Pakistani all-rounder Shoaib Malik, which were fueled by the on-air allegations of team owner Mizanur Rahman.

Malik bowled three no-balls in an over against Khulna Tigers in the BPL which cost his team the match. Match-fixing allegations emerged on social media and were solidified after Mizanur told Channel 24 that Bangladesh Cricket Board's Anti-Corruption Unit was investigating 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 played another match in the BPL and then left for the UAE, adding more fodder to the rumor mill. Later, in an interview with Cricbuzz, Mizanur said Malik wanted a leave till February 6 but he asked him not to come back.

"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 can 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.

In a statement on his social media channels, the former Pakistani international said he left Bangladesh for some pre-committed media engagement and that the rumors around match-fixing were "baseless".

"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 about lot of things but that does not imply we are standing by it. But still I feel that I shouldn't have spoken that way," he said.

The match-fixing allegations have not only jeopardized Malik's career but also put the BPL in a bad light.