Pakistan Test cricketer Umar Akmal has expressed disappointment that former teammate Zulqarnain Haider has allegedly resumed contentious behavior following recovery from a life-threatening illness, despite Akmal’s previous gestures of goodwill.
Speaking on a local television program, Akmal revealed he chose not to pursue legal action against the fellow wicketkeeper out of consideration for Haider’s financial situation.
“I have no resentment towards anyone. If I wanted I could have sent him a legal notice but I did not as I was aware of his financial situation,” Akmal stated.
The middle-order batter emphasized that he was among the first to visit Zulqarnain during his serious illness in 2022, even providing financial assistance despite their troubled history.
“My wife was the first among those people who motivated me to take that initiative,” Akmal explained. “Recently, when he recovered, he once again has started doing the same things and I think that shows how people are but I will still take it positively.”
The reconciliation attempt in 2022 was particularly notable as it temporarily bridged a significant rift between the two cricketers. Haider had previously accused Akmal of undermining his career.
Zulqarnain Haider’s cricket career became controversial after he abruptly left the national team during a 2010 tour in Dubai. Though he eventually returned to domestic cricket, he never regained his position on Pakistan’s national squad.
Neither the Pakistan Cricket Board nor Haider has issued a public response to Akmal’s recent comments.
