'Bob wanted cricket, not religion'

The manager of Pakistan's World Cup cricket team, Pervez Mir, who has fled Pakistan after claiming that a 'fatwa' has been issued against him in an exclusive interview to CNN-IBN's Sanjay Suri in London, confirms that Woolmer had some serious reservations about the religious practices of the Pakistan team.

Sanjay Suri: Mir Saheb were there any religious differences between Woolmer and Pakistan players?

Pervez Mir: No there were no religious differences whatsoever. On the contrary when I said that the team was more focused on religion than cricket what actually I meant was that there is time for cricket and there is time for religion. And no one stops you from practicing your religion. My contention is that when you go out in a team bus you don't listen to tableegi CDs or you don't listen to sermons but you talk about cricket.

Sanjay Suri: But did Woolmer have an issue with it?

Pervez Mir: Yes, Woolmer did have his reservations and he wanted the boys to think and work on cricket. He did express his reservations particularly coming to Montego Bay from the hotel Ritz Carlton. But of course it was something that he just expressed.

Sanjay Suri: Did this cause any tensions between him and the players?

Pervez Mir: No absolutely not. This was his reservation which he expressed to me which he didn't express to the team. I felt he was shy and didn't want to tell it to the players not to do it. And in the same breadth you can't blame the whole team for doing it. There were certain members who wanted the CD to be played.

Sanjay Suri: Have you attracted a fatwa for you views?

Pervez Mir: Well one of the cricketer sadly has appealed to the ulema that if I am eligible that there ought to be a fatwa on me which I find absolutely ridiculous.

Sanjay Suri: Which cricketer?

Pervez Mir: Rashid Latif

Sanjay Suri: There is some suggestions that these tensions could have been the reason for Woolmer's murder. Do you think that is possible?

Pervez Mir: No absolutely not. Contrary some newspaper reports and TV reports that these rumours and news items could have been instrumental in Woolmer deaths, I don't think so.

Sanjay Suri: Thank you Mir Saheb.