'That hurts a lot' - Wasim Akram reacts to match-fixing allegations
Wasim Akram [Source: Twitter]
Former Pakistan pacer Wasim Akram shed light on the allegations of match-fixing levied on him during the 1990s in an emotional outpour.
Regarded as one of the greatest left-arm seamers, Akram shared that he is still perceived as a match-fixer by some in Pakistan.
The 56-year-old also talked about the torrid experience he went through during the time match-fixing sank Pakistan cricket.
Here is what Akram said
"People may talk about Wasim Akram, one of the best left-armers, Pakistan and Lancashire etc, and that’s how I’m generally seen by you guys in the UK. But in Pakistan, the rumors persist – 'he’s a match-fixer' – and that hurts a lot,
"You would hear things. I just used to ask: ‘How is this possible? I don’t believe it. Why would we do such a thing?’ Everyone was panicky and playing for themselves. It was a horrible time, no one trusted each other."
For the unversed, Akram was accused of bribing his teammate Ata-ur-Rehman for fixing an ODI in New Zealand in 1993-94. Further, he was thought to have faked an injury to keep himself out of the 1996 World Cup quarter-final versus India.
While Rehman was handed a life ban, Akram was freed from the allegations.
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