Umar Akmal Replies to PCB’s Show-Cause Notice, wants Committee to Probe Rift with Coach
Aug 24, 2017 at 11:31 AM
Responding defiantly to Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) show cause notice to his sensational allegations against head coach Mickey Arthur, out-of-favour batsman Umar Akmal has asked the board to form a committee of senior players and government officials to sort out the issue. Akmal conveyed his message through a letter addressed to the PCB chairman on Wednesday (August 23).
In a heated press-conference in Lahore last week, the 27-year-old batsman tore into Arthur, as he made some sensational allegations towards the former South Africa and Australia coach. Akmal alleged that Arthur abused him verbally in front of the chief selector, Inzamam-ul-Haq and National Cricket Academy (NCA) coach Mushtaq Ahmed.
He had gone on to claim that the head coach, as well as the support staff at the NCA, told him not to turn up at the Academy after he went there following the recovery from the knee injury.
“He [Arthur] used abusive words for me in the presence of both Inzamam [ul Haq] and Mushtaq [Ahmed], which is really painful and highly embarrassing for me as a cricketer who has played for the national team,” he had said at the presser.
“It’s not even my fault, and I find it painful that anyone should be allowed to swear at me. I accept my fitness isn’t up to the mark, and I am trying to work on it, and I asked to be allowed a trainer to help me. But Mickey said I shouldn’t even have come to the NCA and should be playing club cricket instead,” he had added.
Consequently, the PCB had taken a swift action, issuing a show cause notice to the batsman and also slamming him for the baseless allegations against the head coach. However, the right-handed batsman is still firm on stance, as in his letter he claimed to have been ‘mentally shocked, disturbed and surprised to hear the harsh and slang words’ from Arthur.
“It was not written anywhere in the law that any person has legal authority to hurt feelings, self-respect and to disgrace and abuse test player in front [sic] of the chief selector Mr Inzamam-ul-Haq and Academy Coach Mr Mushtaq and other persons,” Akmal wrote.
Meanwhile, Akmal, known for his careless attitude, is ready to apologise to Arthur if the report turns out to be against him.