LAHORE – Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal has issued a strong response to Azam Siddique, the father of national team player and ex-captain Babar Azam, advising him to stay within his limits following a heated exchange on social media.
The controversy began after Kamran Akmal voiced his support in a recent podcast for the decision to drop Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from Pakistan’s T20 International squad. His comments did not sit well with Babar’s father, who took to Instagram to express his displeasure.
Azam Siddique shared an old photograph of Kamran Akmal with a young Babar Azam, captioning it: “This child (Babar) never played under your captaincy, but you played under his and got out for zero, while he scored a century that day.”
He went on to quote renowned writer Ashfaq Ahmed: “Talking behind the backs of successful people is the compulsion of the unsuccessful,”.
Siddique also referenced a Turkish proverb: “If someone claims to be your brother, they should clarify whether they are like Abel or Cain,”.
In response, Kamran Akmal posted a statement on his Instagram story, calling Siddique’s remarks inappropriate and advising him to refrain from making personal attacks.
“May Allah bless you with more respect and success,” Akmal stated. “But silence is not always an option—especially when false stories are being spread. I request that you think twice before speaking or posting about me without knowing the facts. Our parents should raise us to never be envious of others. Alhamdulillah, I have proudly represented Pakistan and performed with dignity,”.
He further warned, “Next time, please choose your words more carefully. There are clear boundaries, and you have crossed them more than once. Now, stay within your limits,”.
Akmal concluded by emphasizing that his remarks were purely cricket-related and should not be turned into a personal issue.
Babar Azam is the cousin of former cricketers Kamran Akmal, Umar Akmal and Adnan Akmal. All three Akmal brothers have represented Pakistan at the international level.
Despite the family connection, the tensions between the two households have been evident in recent years.
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