Umar Akmal has pleaded with the PCB to reconsider him for Pakistan selection, four years after he completed his ban for corruption.
The former all-format player, speaking on Suno TV's programme Suno Toh Sahi, revealed his attempts to set up a meeting with PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi.
Akmal: PCB chairman's staff behaving rudely
"I have all the proof I needed to show [that I have tried to contact the PCB chairman]," said Akmal. "I have tried calling the chairman's manager and people around him requesting to meet him, but they are behaving very rudely, saying: 'We will inform you when he gives you time' and disconnecting in my face.
"Someone should tell them, the PCB is for the players and if they don't have a good relationship with the players, where will they go? I want to tell Mohsin Naqvi that your managers are behaving rudely. I have represented Pakistan too and request for a good attitude."
Why is Akmal out of Pakistan contention?
Despite bursting onto the scene in 2009 with a century in his debut Test match against New Zealand, Akmal's career has been marked by controversies, and he hasn't played an international match since 2019. In 2021, Akmal was banned by the PCB for corruption, and subsequently left Pakistan to play cricket in America for a short time.
The middle-order batter was handed a three-year ban, reduced to 12 months on appeal, for failing to report corrupt approaches to the PCB. Akmal was also given a fine of PKR 4,250,000. The ugly legal battle between player and board over the punishment was taken as far as the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The 34-year-old's international playing career was dotted with several other controversies, including when he lost his central contract in 2017 due to repeated fitness issues. At that time, he criticised then Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur in a press conference and former chief selector Inzamam-ul-haq. The incident ended in Akmal being fined 1 million rupees, being banned for three matches and having his NOC revoked for two months, meaning he was unable to play in the last two weeks of that year's BPL.
Akmal: I want to play for Pakistan
"I want to play for Pakistan," said Akmal. "I am not saying i have 10-15 years left in me, I have 4-5 years and I want to play for Pakistan. Other leagues are calling me - recently I played in the Sri Lanka league and even led a team. The PSL is not selecting me despite playing domestic cricket, which is not good."
Akmal played in the 2023 and 2022 edition of the PSL but did not featured in the most recent edition of the league. The most recent domestic match he played in came over a year ago, in the President's Trophy Grade-1, where he scored 517 runs across 13 innings in the first-class competition.
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