Former Pakistan captain, Shahid Afridi has claimed that no franchise was ready to pick Umar Akmal for the upcoming eighth edition of the Pakistan Super League (SPL).
Speaking to the media, the former all-rounder stated that the middle-order batter should thank Quetta Gladiators for selecting him in the silver category.
The 44-year-old cricketer further added that he likes the Lahore-born cricketer as a batter because his class and skills are good and he can represent his country again.
Shahid Afridi went on to say that the 32-year-old batter has had fitness problems for a long time and that he still needs to work on his fitness and temperament a lot.
It is worth noting that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) banned Umar Akmal for three years in 2020 after failing to report details of corrupt approaches made to him.
However, the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) reduced his ban by six months in February 2021, allowing him to return to professional cricket earlier than expected.