TV anchor insults cricket star Shoaib Akhtar

ISLAMABAD: State-owned TV anchor, who also holds an administrative position in the Pakistan Television (PTV), Wednesday forced mega-star Shoaib Akhtar to leave the show as he was not towing the line on man-of-the-match Haris Rauf’s performance and on his grooming as a world-class bowler.

This happened in front of foreign guest stars Viv Richards and David Gower who are in the city for their comments and expert opinions on the ongoing T20 World Cup. The incident is said to have brought name to the country and Pakistan cricket.

“I have never seen such a scene in my life,” Gower said.

As Haris played a match-winning role in the team’s success against New Zealand, Shoaib praised Lahore Qalandars’ Players Development Programme and its contributions that irked the host who wanted Shoaib to toe his line.

Shoaib gave the host an opportunity to apologise which he refused forcing Shoaib to leave the stage in front of a selected audience and in presence of reputed mega cricket stars.

“It was an unpleasant incident with the host getting obnoxious. He has insulted a national star on national TV for the reasons unknown. He has insulted me in front of international stars. I gave him an opportunity to apologise during the break which he did not avail. For the sake of Pakistan cricket and the country’s image, I wanted to settle the matter but he was not ready to make an apology. I had no other option but to resign and leave the stage. I can no longer tolerate such an insult,” Shoaib said in his Tweet.