Pakistan wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal who is currently taking part in the RBS Twenty/20 Cup, categorically denied any involvement in match fixing.

 

Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal who is currently taking part in the RBS Twenty/20 Cup, categorically denied any involvement in match fixing.

Akmal was in typical flamboyant batting form today and smashed 68 runs off only 44 deliveries, as the Lahore Lions comprehensively beat the Quetta Bears in their opening fixture in Karachi. Akmal though despite today's excellent innings and victory is extremely unhappy and upset at what he calls a smear campaign against him from certain quarters.

The 28 year old Lahore based wicketkeeper/batsman has represented Pakistan on 191 occasions in all forms of the game, but was named yesterday along with Rana Naved ul Hasan by Voice of America as two Pakistani players allegedly involved in match fixing. Akmal though strongly refutes any accusations of him being involved in match fixing.

"I am not involved in match fixing at all and the accusations against me are baseless and totally false. It seems that there are certain people out there who are trying to ruin my career with a smear campaign" said an extremely upset Akmal.

Akmal who has already threatened legal action against his accusers is getting extremely frustrated with what appears to be a concerted effort by some to blacken his name. "I am getting fed up with all these accusations of me doing this and that and being involved in shouting at senior players in team meetings, being up in the early hours looking after my child whilst my wife slept. It's getting ridiculous now and I am getting tired of having to refute these allegations again and again. I shouldn't have to keep coming out and continually denying these ridiculous allegations".

Akmal's agent and close friend Azhar Majeed speaking to PakPassion.net was also very disappointed and agitated at what he called lobbying against Kamran from certain quarters. "I don't wan't to name names just yet, but there are certain individuals in Pakistan who are trying to damage Kamran Akmal's name. They don't want him to be playing for Pakistan. These unsavoury accusations are unecessary and extremely upsetting for the player, his family and his friends".

Majeed who has been in close touch with Akmal since the accusations were made feels that Akmal is not the sort of character who would stoop to match fixing. "Kamran is a jovial young man, who is a polite and caring individual. He is from a cricket loving and patriotic family and of course he and his 2 brothers all play first class cricket in Pakistan, with Umar also now representing Pakistan. They take great pride in playing for Pakistan and their respective domestic teams and I have spoken to Kamran after games when Pakistan have lost and he has been in tears. His wife is an educated girl who wants the best for Kamran and wants him to do very well as a professional sportsman, there is no way that Kamran or his wife would jeopardise any of this".

Majeed questioned the thinking that Kamran had fixed the Sydney test match. "Why would he drop so many catches, why would he want to make it so obvious that something was going on. He just had a poor match in Sydney which had nothing to do with match fixing".

Majeed finished his statement to PakPassion.net by stating that "What is happening is extremely sad and for some people to be out there trying to ruin a young man's career is in very poor taste".