KARACHI: Ever since the news, of a corrupt approach to Umar Akmal in Canada GT20, broke out the name of a Pakistan test cricketer, Mansoor Akhtar resurfaced.
Umar Akmal reportedly claimed that he was approached by Mansoor Akhtar with a corrupt offer which he refused and subsequently informed the anti-corruption authorities.
Mansoor Akhtar was also seen in the oldest T20 league in the American region, US Open, in which he (Mansoor) was a regular fugue as a team official however the owner of the US open, MAQ Qureshi categorically denied his league’s affiliation with the accused former cricketers.
“It is true that Mansoor Akhtar brought a team to US Open and participated in the tournament as a coach but he left three years ago and I have not been in touch with him since then”, MAQ Qureshi told this correspondent from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The US Open is a yearly T20 tournament held in Fort Lauderdale with the first edition is dated back to 2008. The eleventh consecutive US Open is scheduled to held in December this year.
“Since Mansoor was an international player from Pakistan, therefore, we welcomed him to the league with respect. We, in fact, give respect to all international players participate in the tournament”, MAQ added
“That’s the only relationship we had with him (Mansoor Akhtar)”, MAQ concluded
Mansoor Akhtar, the right-handed batsman, represented Pakistan in 19 Tests and 41 ODIs between 1980 to 1990.