Pakistan wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal has threatened legal action after Zulqarnain Haider claimed that Kamran and his brother Umar Akmal were involved in the removal of former captain Shahid Afridi from the team.
Kamran, who was dropped from the national team following the 2011 World Cup, dismissed the remarks as ‘baseless’ and threatened to sue Haider.
“I won’t respond to his remarks,” said Kamran. “Now my lawyer will respond to Haider. He will be served a notice. We’ve always played for the country and never got involved in politics.
“Afridi can respond to his claims as well. If we were involved in politics, why are we out of the team then?”
Haider, in an interview, claimed that Umar and Kamran were involved in politicking in order to secure their places in the Pakistan team, adding that the duo was working as a lobby and were also involved in the removal of Afridi from the team.
“The Akmal brothers used to work as a lobby to ensure their place in the team,” claimed Haider. “They are involved in politicking and they are also involved in the removal of Afridi from the team.”
The wicket-keeper, who deserted the team on the day of their One-Day International against South Africa after claiming to have been threatened by match-fixers, also alleged that former coach Waqar Younis also took part in lobbying against certain players.
Commenting on Mazhar Majeed, the agent at the centre of the spot-fixing controversy, Haider said that he was seen with several players and was interested in making him his agent but was stopped by a senior player.
Haider also thanked former sports minister Ijaz Jhakrani for including him in the team on the basis of his performance.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 18th, 2011.
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