Umar Akmal involved in shady deals and deserves more than a life ban, claims Zulqarnain Haider
Former Pakistan wicket-keeper Zulqarnain Haider has launched a scathing attack on Umar Akmal and has claimed that the latter has been involved in âshady dealingsâ. Haider, who played a Test and 4 ODIs, announced his international retirement under controversial circumstances in 2010.
Pakistani cricketers throwing shade at their fellow countrymen/teammates has become a common sighting of late and the latest Pakistani cricketer to berate the now-banned Umar Akmal is former wicket-keeper batsman Zulqarnain Haider. Haider, who made 8 international appearances for Pakistan between 2007 and 2010, broke team protocol and mysteriously disappeared post November 5, 2010, after hitting the winning runs against South Africa, and he now has blamed Umar Akmal for the same.Â
Haider has alleged that Akmal threatened him to under-perform and that acted as a catalyst for him eventually leaving the country. The 34-year-old also opined that Akmalâs ban was lenient and claimed that the 29-year-old has made a lot of âshady dealingsâ over the course of his career.
"I remember telling him to just do his job and carry the drinks. But later he (Umar) and some others directly threatened me and kept on badgering me so much that I came under psychological pressure and fear and flew to London without informing anyone," said Haider, reported News18.
"He (Umar Akmal) has been involved in shady dealings and not only does he deserve a life ban even his property and assets should be seized.â
After vanishing mysteriously in 2010, Haider zooted off to England seeking asylum, before returning to Pakistan a year later, and the former wicket-keeper batsman revealed that the anonymous threats he received to under-perfrom prompted him to leave the country for good.
"But the threats and pressure were too much for me to bear and I left. I was also getting threats from some unknown persons to under perform," Haider explained.
Eventually, Haider announced his retirement from international cricket on November 10, 2010, just five days after his heroics against the Proteas, at just the age of 24. He has, however, continued to play domestic cricket and currently plays for the Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited side.