03 April 2023 , 16:25
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Azeem Rafiq has welcomed the idea of meeting up with former England Test captain Michael Vaughan in the wake of the racism case that has plagued cricket.
Last Friday, Vaughan was cleared by a Cricket Discipline Commission panel of using racist language after being accused of making a racist comment towards four Asian team-mates at Yorkshire in 2009.
He had been accused of telling Rafiq, Adil Rashid, Ajmal Shahzad and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan: "There are too many of you lot, we need to have a word about that."
But Vaughan, who vehemently denied the accusation throughout, was cleared of his racism charge from the ECB "on the balance of probabilities"
And now Rafiq, who met up with Vaughan 18 months ago in what the former England Test skipper described as "positive and constructive discussions" before the ECB charged him in June last year, says he is willing to speak to the 48-year-old again.
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When asked if he would be open to a meeting with Vaughan in the future, Rafiq replied: "Yeah, absolutely. Ultimately it can't be about me, it can't be about Michael. This has got to be about the game, and the game's failings up to this point.
"I feel that the game has an opportunity through the CDC findings but also through the ICEC report (the Independent Commission on Equity in Cricket findings which are expected to be published this week).
Michael Vaughan was cleared of racism by a Cricket Discipline Commission panel (PA)"The game's got a very simple choice. It's either going to confront its failings and really make a commitment and drive forwards together, or it's going to live in the level of denial that it has continued to for a long period of time and we're going to end up with another Azeem Rafiq in 20 years' time, or probably not even that long."
After Vaughan's charge was dismissed, he said he remained keen "to help bring about positive change in any way" and Rafiq suggested he could play a part in reshaping cricket going forward.
"I'm not in any position to be making those decisions. (But) If there's a willingness - absolutely, I think so," Rafiq added.