'Umar Akmal suffered from epilepsy fits', says Najam Sethi
In a recent statement, former chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) claimed that Umar Akmal suffers from epilepsy. According to 71-year-old, the management found out about his disorder through medical reports. He also added that Umar kept his individual performances above the nation. The Pakistani batsman was recently slapped with a three-year ban for not reporting corrupt approaches in the PSL. Here is more.
"We had medical reports that confirmed he suffered from epilepsy fits and we called him back from the West Indies. When I met him I told him it was a serious problem and he needed to take a break and get proper treatment," Sethi said.
Sethi explained how he pushed Umar to take a break from international cricket for a while, during the 2013 West Indies tour. "I stopped him from playing for two months but later on we sent the medical reports to the selectors and left it to them because I didn't like to interfere," said Sethi. He added, "He refused that and insisted on playing."
Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder that causes unprovoked, recurrent seizures (sudden rush of electrical activity in the brain). The brain activity becomes abnormal, causing periods of unusual behaviour, several sensations, and at times loss of awareness.
Sethi asserted Umar puts his own performance above national interest. "He refuses to accept discipline and he is an individualistic player prone to play with instinct. He plays for himself not for his team. He is outside all discipline," he said. He added, "I am afraid his career is threatened and it appears to me to be the end of the line for him."
Umar Akmal was handed a three-year ban for not reporting spot-fixing approaches, in the PSL. The 29-year-old was earlier charged with two breaches of PCB's anti-corruption code. As per the charge, he failed to disclose the information related to corrupt offers. PCB suspended him on February 20, which made his PSL participation redundant. His brother Kamran Akmal recently said they will challenge the ban.
