41-year-old Kamran Akmal, a former Pakistan cricketer who recently announced retirement from international cricket, opened up on his on-field verbal clash with India's fast bowler Ishant Sharma during IND vs PAK match at Chennai's M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in December 2012. Talking about his heated exchange with Ishant, Kamran claimed that it was Ishant who hurled abuse first and then got it back. He also praised Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni for intervening to make sure that the matter gets sorted out.
As quoted by cricket pundit Farid Khan, Kamran Akmal said: "Ishant Sharma did hurl abuse, he got all the abuses back too (Ishant ne gaali diya par baad mein usko bhi bohot pada). MS Dhoni was really nice and Suresh Raina came, and settled it down. India were losing and it happened in the heat of the moment. Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez were playing very well, so he was furious."
Kamran, in his interaction on YouTube channel 'Nadir Ali Podcast', was also asked to recall his similar on-field tussle with ex-India opener Gautam Gambhir in 2009. The former Pakistan wicket-keeper clarified it was just a misunderstanding.
"It was complete misunderstanding. It was an Asia Cup match in 2009. Saeed Ajmal bowled, there was an appeal for caught-behind from me. It was given not out. Gambhir said something in a hilarious way, but because of the hype around India-Pakistan matches...he did not any cuss words. If I am not wrong, he said that to himself, but I felt it was directed towards me,” he said.
Kamran Akmal says Pakistan should boycott playing 2023 ODI World Cup in India if the Blues pulls out of 2023 Asia Cup. BCCI has confirmed that Rohit Sharma & Co. won't travel to Pakistan for the continental tournament.
"If India do not agree to come for the Asia Cup, we should not go to India to play the 2023 World Cup there. Hamaari bhi respect hai. We have been world champions too, have topped rankings in all formats and have won the Champions Trophy too. This is between two governments; until they are on the same page, the teams won't go with each other. We have to see how long it goes," Kamran said during the Nadir Ali podcast.