Umar Akmal criticises Zulqarnain Haider’s behaviour post-recovery

WEB DESK: Controversial cricket, Umar Akmal, expressed disappointment regarding the alleged behaviour of former teammate, Zulqarnain Haider, who reportedly returned to ‘contentious’ actions after recovering from a serious health issue.

Akmal made these remarks during a recent appearance on a local television programme, where he discussed the complexities of their relationship and the goodwill he extended to Haider during a challenging time.

Read more: Karim Janat becomes the tenth Afghan player in IPL

In his comments, Akmal revealed that he had the option to pursue legal action against Zulqarnain Haider but chose not to, citing concern for Haider’s financial difficulties.

“I hold no resentment towards anyone. If I had wanted to, I could have sent him a legal notice, but I refrained due to my awareness of his financial situation”, Akmal claimed.

The former wicket-keeper claimed that he was among the first to visit Zulqarnain during his serious illness in 2022, even providing financial assistance. “My wife was the first among those who encouraged me to take the initiative”, he stated.

The two cricketers developed a rift, with Haider previously accusing Umar Akmal of undermining his career.

Akmal claims that despite his efforts to ‘mend’ their relationship, he was ‘disappointed’ that, following Haider’s recovery, the latter resumed hostilities.

“Recently, after his recovery, [Haider] has once again started engaging in similar actions, which I believe reflects on people’s true nature, but I will still take it positively”.

Zulqarnain Haider’s cricketing career was marked by controversy as well, particularly after he abruptly  left the national team during a 2010 tour in Dubai. The cricketer cited death threats to his life.

Read more: PSL 10: Quetta Gladiators set 179-run target for Peshawar Zalmi

Although he later returned to domestic cricket, he has not regained his spot on the national squad.

As of now, neither the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) nor Haider issued a public response to Akmal’s comments.