Atiq-uz-Zaman: “Aaqib also said that he wouldn’t let Umar Akmal play for Lahore Qalandars till the time he is the coach”
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
Former Pakistan cricketer Atiq-uz-Zaman has claimed that legendary pace bowler Aaqib Javed refused to let Umar Akmal play when he was head coach of the Lahore Qalandars in the 2018 edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
Zaman, who was part of the Qalandars’ coaching staff, added that the franchise made left-arm spinner Raza Hasan a “scapegoat”.
He also pointed out that Aaqib had decided to drop all-rounder Bilawal Bhatti “before the season” started and “declared him unfit with the help of his close doctor friend”.
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“Aaqib also said that he wouldn’t let Umar Akmal play for Lahore Qalandars till the time he is the coach,” Zaman said in a YouTube video as quoted by Cricket Pakistan. “They made Raza Hasan a scapegoat by bowling him in powerplay overs and then dropped him after a few games.
“Aaqib had also decided before the season to drop Bilawal Bhatti from the squad. He was not getting an excuse to send him back. He wanted a batsman instead of Bilawal. So he made an excuse that Bilawal can’t throw well and declared him unfit with the help of his close doctor friend.”
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