Umar steps up verbal attack on Arthur

Karachi, August 19

Out-of-favour Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal has stepped up his verbal attack on chief coach Mickey Arthur despite being issued a show-cause notice by the country’s cricket board. 

Akmal today tweeted that “dummy” fitness tests were held in England before the Champions Trophy just to fail him and send him back home. “The tests were held to get me out of the team,” Akmal said.

PCB has issued a strong-worded statement, condemning the reckless tweets made by Akmal with regards to his omission from the Champions Trophy squad. The statement said Akmal was given as many as seven chances to improve his fitness and match the standards of his teammates. 

“Arthur had placed Akmal in his white ball format plans and given him repeated chances for redemption, but he failed to achieve the required fitness level,” a PCB statement said. — PTI