Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif said on Tuesday he had not given up hope of playing for Pakistan again despite upsetting some senior players including captain Inzamam-ul-Haq after his match-fixing statement during the home series against India.

The 35-year old, who returned from England after playing a season for the Lashings cricket club and working on his academy project in the United Kingdom, said he would be playing the Inter-District championship match for Zone four from September 10.

"I will not only play in the Inter-District match representing Malir but will also be appearing for Allied bank in the domestic matches this season," he added. The veteran wicketkeeper of 37 Tests (119 catches and 11 stumpings) and 166 One-day Internationals (182 catches and 38 stumpings), insisted he still saw a chance to make another comeback to international cricket.

"I know things are not very bright for me. Not because my form has suffered or I am not physically fit but because of the other off-the-field distractions/problems that have dodged me since last year. But in Pakistan cricket you never say die. And as long as I am active on the domestic circuit and show good form there will always be pressure on the selectors," he stated.

Rashid escaped disciplinary action from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) earlier this year after insinuating in a television programme that the fourth One-day International match with India in Lahore might have been fixed. His statement caused uproar in the Board and left some senior players including the captain very unhappy with his comments.

"I know my statement caused a lot of damage. But I said what I felt at that time. I never said the match was fixed for certain. I said certain events in the match warranted a thorough investigation by the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit," he recalled. The ACU later cleared the historic series of any match fixing.

Rashid, who played unstinted from April 2001 to November 2003 also leading the team after the 2003 World Cup debacle in South Africa, made it clear he had not retired from any form of cricket as yet.

"I know my comments during that series probably cost me a golden chance to make a comeback in the Tests against India after Moin (Khan) was injured. But I have learnt to take these things in stride and I never give up hope. Which is why I believe I still have that outside chance of making another comeback," he said.

It is no secret that the national selectors and the English coach Bob Woolmer are viewing the performances of Moin Khan in Holland and England very closely and his batting form is causing them concern. All the indications are there that if the senior keeper does not produce the goods in the Champions Trophy the selectors may look at other keeping options for the home series against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka and Rashid said this was one reason he harboured some hope of playing for Pakistan again.

The selectors have also been worried with the progress of young wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal whose performance for the Pakistan A team on the recent tour of Kenya failed to impress anyone as he failed consistently with the bat and sources say that Woolmer also does not rate him very highly.