Pakistan’s Umar Akmal had made a sensational claim of a spot-fixing approach made to him during the 2015 ICC World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Akmal, who is no stranger to controversy, made the shocking revelations while appearing on a show on Samaa TV.
According to the 28-year-old batsman, he was approached by bookies to leave two deliveries during Pakistan’s campaign opener against arch-rivals India.
“I had got an offer during the World Cup to leave alone two balls and they were willing to pay me $200,000 for that. It was our first match against India in the 2015 World Cup,” Akmal said on the TV show.
Umar Akmal claims he was offered $200,000 during World Cup to leave two deliveries, tells @Shoaib_Jatt that he was also offered money to skip games against India. I wonder if Akmal had ever reported these approaches, if not then this statement will get him in more troubles. pic.twitter.com/inIQLN5Np4
— Faizan Lakhani (@faizanlakhani) June 24, 2018
“Similar offers have been made in the past as well. In the matches with India I’ve been told to make some excuse and opt out of the game for which I’d be paid but I have told those people that I am committed to Pakistan and to not approach me ever with such offers,” he added.
India went on to win the clash at Adelaide by 76 runs ultimately. The two sides are scheduled to meet again in the 2019 World Cup at Old Trafford on June 16.
The right-handed batsman has played 16 Tests, 116 ODIs and 82 T20Is in his career so far. However, a spate of controversies, including a run-in with head coach Mickey Arthur, has seen Akmal ignored from the Pakistan set-up for some time now.
The batsman has not been called up to the international side ever since he played his last ODI against Australia in January, 2017.
