England spinner says he heard Vaughan question the number of players of Asian heritage in the Yorkshire side
Vaughan continues to deny those allegations.
Rashid has long been reluctant to be drawn into the debate and, even now, has asked for “privacy” and space to focus on his cricket. But it could well be that his observations have a devastating effect on the reputation and future career of Vaughan. He has already been stood down from his Radio 5 Live programme, the Tuffers and Vaughan Show, by the BBC.
Rashid’s statement in full reads: “Racism is a cancer in all walks of life and unfortunately in professional sports too, and is something which of course has to be stamped out.
I wanted to concentrate as much as possible on my cricket and to avoid distractions to the detriment of the team but I can confirm Azeem Rafiq’s recollection of Michael Vaughan’s comments to a group of us Asian players.
“I’m encouraged by the fact that a Parliamentary Committee seems to be trying to improve the situation, whether that’s holding people accountable or getting changes made at an institutional level. These can only be positive developments. I will of course be more than happy to support any official efforts when the time is right.
“For now though, these matters are of an intensely personal nature and I will not be commenting on them further. I ask you to respect my privacy and allow me to focus on my cricket.
“I want to thank the ECB, the fans and especially my teammates for all of their support. We didn’t get the result we wanted in this World Cup, but I hope that the unity of our dressing room and the leadership of our captain [Eoin Morgan] will propel us forward to achieve what we deserve in the future.”