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"
BBC will 'hold talks' with Michael Vaughan over return after being cleared in racism case Piers Morgan and Azeem Rafiq in bitter spat after Michael Vaughan cleared in racism case 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. 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 ( Image: 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. Read More Michael Vaughan opens up on huge toll cricket racism case has taken on his family Read More Michael Vaughan must now become agent for change in cricket after being cleared of racism Read More Azeem Rafiq breaks silence as Michael Vaughan is cleared of racism in Yorkshire case Read More Michael Vaughan statement in full as ex-England skipper declares there are "no winners" Read More Ex-England cricket captain Michael Vaughan NOT GUILTY of racism claims