Shoaib Akhtar walks out of television show after stoush with host

INFORMATION MINISTER FORMS COMMITTEE TO PROBE INCIDENT

Former speedster Shoaib Akhtar ignited a controversy after he walked out of a television show Tuesday night following disagreements with the host, cricket commentator Nauman Niaz.

Akhtar, during the live programme for T20 World Cup on PTV Sports, said he “resigned” as a cricket analyst of the channel and walked off after Niaz called him “rude”, adding the former paceman was “free to leave” the show if he wished so.

The problem began when Akhtar apparently ignored the line of questioning by the host and decided to talk about pacer Haris Rauf, which annoyed Niaz who accused him of “misbehaving with him”.

Akhtar was asked whether Pakistan made a mess of the chase against New Zealand. He did not agree and, ignoring the line of questioning by the host, decided to talk about Rauf and chose to lavish praise on Lahore Qalanders, a Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise, and its coach, Aaqib Javed for discovering and nurturing the bowler.

“This is the guy who deserves all the credit. It was Lahore Qalanders who gave us Haris Rauf,” Akhtar said, pointing towards the former Test pacer, as Noman tried to interrupt him.

The host, clearly annoyed and irritated, told Akhtar he had been “misbehaving with him” and he would not tolerate that and in such circumstances, it was better if he left the show and then went for a commercial break. Following the break when the transmission resumed, there was more drama when Akhtar said he would like to “close the unpleasant incident” but demanded an apology from the host first who did not budge and started discussing the game.

A few minutes later, Akhtar turned to his fellow experts on the panel and, after apologising to them, announced his resignation from PTV Sports.

“My apologies for this but I am resigning immediately from PTV Sports as I have been insulted and treated badly on live television in front of the nation,” he said.

He subsequently got up, took off his microphone, and left. Host Niaz did not attempt to call him back and showed no reaction at all and carried on with the show as normal.

After video clippings of the incident went viral on social media, Akhtar took to Twitter to give a video statement.

“Multiple clips are circulating on social media so I thought I should clarify. Dr Nauman was obnoxious (sic) and rude [when] he asked me to leave the show,” he tweeted.