Shoaib Akhtar served legal notice by Nauman Niaz over 'kit man' remark
Former Pakistan speedster
has landed in legal trouble after making allegedly defamatory comments about cricket analyst and broadcaster Nauman Niaz. The controversy stems from Akhtar's remarks during a recent podcast, where he referred to Niaz as a 'kit man' during their time together with the Pakistan national team.
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'Dr Nauman basically used to carry our bags and luggage for us in the team,' Akhtar claimed in the discussion, further adding, 'That is what he did in the team. I don't know about anything else he did.'
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Niaz, who previously served as Sports Director at Pakistan Television Network (PTV) and was also involved with the Pakistan team in a data analyst capacity during Akhtar's playing days, has taken strong exception to the remarks.
Through his legal counsel, Niaz has issued a defamation notice demanding an unconditional public apology within 14 days. The notice states that failure to comply will lead to further legal action, including the pursuit of monetary damages.
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The relationship between the two has been turbulent in the past. In 2021, Niaz infamously asked Akhtar to leave a live PTV show following an on-air disagreement, which led to public outrage. Although Niaz later apologised under government pressure, tensions between the two appear far from settled.
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