Pakistan cricket player Haris Sohail 'traumatised' by supernatural presence in Christchurch hotel room

A touring Pakistan cricket player is reportedly "traumatised" and unable to train after complaining of a supernatural presence at his Christchurch hotel room.

The Pakistan team have been staying at Rydges Latimer Christchurch in the earthquake-devastated central city while they play some warm-up matches ahead of the Cricket World Cup which starts in New Zealand next month.

But rising star Haris Sohail has been "freaked out" staying at the hotel.

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Pakistan media reports that the 26-year-old woke up in the night at the weekend terrified that there was a supernatural presence in his room.

Sohail believed that a ghost had pushed him while he was asleep, once source told NZME. News Service.

He phoned team management and by the time they came to see him he had developed a high fever.

Team bosses convinced hotel management to change his room immediately, reports say.

Comment was being sought from the Pakistan team management.

A spokesman for Rydges Latimer Christchurch last night said there was "no active ghost".

"It's hard to believe," he said.

"They [Pakistan management] told me it was only a nightmare.

"I spoke with a team physiotherapist and other people on the team.

"He [Sohail] didn't come to me but they wanted him to move rooms.

"He's been sleeping in another room for about two night now."

A source said the hotel - built after the February 22, 2011 earthquake which claimed 115 lives when the multi-storey Canterbury Television building collapsed just 100m away - has not received any similar complaints in the past.

Sohail didn't play during Pakistan's first warm-up match on Sunday at Lincoln outside Christchurch playing against New Zealand President XI, which they lost.

Since his scare, Sohail has been unable to practice with the team, a source said.

"He's not trained for two days because he's so traumatised. He's pretty freaked out."

Sohail tweeted yesterday that Allah "always answers your duas".

A follower replied: "@HarrisSohail89 it's nice to hear that you recovered from that incident in New Zealand. May Allah protect you."

Sohail is playing Pakistan's second warm-up match against the New Zealand President XI at Lincoln again today.

However, he failed to make much of a contribution with the bat, coming in at number 4 and scoring just 6 off 25 balls before falling to Logan van Beek.

Last year, English cricket bowler Stuart Broad claimed to have experienced similar supernatural interactions.

Broad moved rooms at The Langham hotel in London after being convinced there were ghosts his room.

- additional reporting, Andrew Alderson