LAHORE: Pakistan Test cricketer Umar Akmal reiterated his stance against head coach Mickey Arthur in his reply to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and urged the board to form a committee on this matter.
The Test cricketer submitted the reply of a show-cause notice on Wednesday. He was issued the notice by the PCB following his media outburst against the head coach. Uamr, who recently alleged that Arthur had verbally abused him in front of Inzamam, went to Gaddafi Stadium to submit a written statement in response to the show-cause notice.
Talking to the reporters after submitting his reply to a PCB show-cause notice, Umar said that he explained his actions, adding that he had to take a stand against how he was being treated for the past three or four years. “I am hopeful that the issue will be resolved properly and I will accept whatever the PCB decides on the matter.”
The batsman said that he had nothing against the board, but head coach Mickey Arthur's behaviour had become "intolerable" which "forced" him to go public with his grievances. “Arthur used abusive words for me in the presence of both Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mushtaq Ahmad, which is really painful and highly embarrassing for me as a cricketer, who has played for the national team,” he said.
In his written reply to PCB’s show-cause notice, Umar said the head coach insulted not only him but also the entire nation. "No one has right to abuse and hurt anyone’s self-respect. It is not written anywhere in the law that any person has the legal authority to hurt [someone’s] feelings and self-respect and to disgrace and abuse a Test cricket in front of chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq, NCA coach Mushtaq Ahmad and others,” he wrote in his reply.
He further said that he had produced excellent results for Pakistan and was shocked and disturbed to hear such words from the head coach. “Arthur has not only abused me, but also the PCB, my nation, country and its flag, which is not tolerable for any Pakistani,” he wrote.
Umar said that his training schedule was fixed with batting coach Grant Flower but when he reached the National Cricket Academy, the coach refused to work with him. “He ordered me not to use NCA and the staff and told me to play club cricket, which I have been whether I am in any contract with the PCB or not.
“My timings were fixed with Grant Flower for practice but when I reached there, he refused to practice saying he did not have orders to work with me.”
He also requested PCB Chairman Najam Sethi to take notice of the issue and have it investigated properly. “If found guilty, I will apologise to Arthur, but would want the head coach to do the same, if he is proven to be at fault. I have complete trust and faith in my organisation that it will solve the issue efficiently, as it is a matter of honour, dignity and pride of nation.”