MAJID Khan, the head of IHSAN Sports and a 22-year sponsor of Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC), has expressed a desire to return to the country, but admits he fears facing fresh legal action despite his 2017 acquittal by local courts.
While Khan continues to realise revenue through his kit sponsorship with ZC, he maintains that he is not a fugitive and continues to travel the globe for business.
“No, I am not hiding. I am travelling around the world. I am from Pakistan, but I am in Colombo now,” he told Standardsport.
Khan described Zimbabwe as “a very safe country, very good,” noting that while he has visited England and the United States over the past eight years, he has avoided Zimbabwe following a protracted legal dispute.
“There is one guy who I made a partnership with, a Mexican sportsman...he made a wrong case, a fake case against me. For which, thank God, I was acquitted in 2017,” he said.
“I thank God that I was acquitted… I was a free man, I was a true man and then God helped me. I was acquitted from the Zimbabwe Court of Laws. And I really thank God that Zimbabwe courts of law made a decision in favour of the truth.”
Despite that legal victory, lingering uncertainty has kept the businessman away.
“If I come to Zimbabwe, I will have to face the courts. I respect the Zimbabwe courts. But I don’t know how the future will be. If there is any case, they have to tell me before I come there,” he said. “I have to be ready with my lawyer. If there is anything to answer, I have to be prepared before. I don’t want to come there and suddenly hear what happened to me before.”
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Khan, who expressed “a lot of respect for the president of Zimbabwe,” stated he would only visit if granted prior clearance.
“If there is any case against me, they can check before I come. But if I come and there is any new case, I am not too good to hang in that court.”
The IHSAN Sports chief revealed the standoff has been financially damaging: “It’s a loss of millions of dollars for sure.”
Despite his absence, Khan emphasised that his firm remains committed to its partnership with ZC.
“We are the sponsors, still the sponsors. We have been sponsoring the Zimbabwe cricket team for 22 years. We sponsor even more, like in hockey, soccer, even rugby,” he said. “But if someone is challenging our image like that, it’s really bad. Until there is a proof, they can come and sit on the table and show on the table and tell. But I was acquitted in my last case… I have clean hands.”
Regarding on-field performance, Khan lauded the national team's recent trajectory.
“Zimbabwe played some fantastic cricket. Zimbabwe is really doing well… They had a good Tournament at the T20 World Cup qualifying for the Super 8 stage for the first time with wins against Oman, Australia and Sri Lanka,” he added.
“I’m moving around the world. But I’m not coming to Zimbabwe. Sorry for that. Because I’m scared about that. Because maybe there’s another case.”
