Dr Nauman Niaz apologizes to Shoaib Akhtar after facing backlash
Dr. Nauman Niaz has presented an apology to former cricketer Shoaib Akhtar after he faced a serious backlash from the public for insulting him during a live show.
On Thursday, in a statement on YouTube channel, Dr. Nauman, PTV’s host said, “I apologized thousands of times over my conduct.” He further added, “Whatever the reason, I had no right to do all this on-air, it was my fault. Shoaib Akhtar is a star and I love his cricket.”
PTV Sports Anchor Nauman Niaz breaks silence over on air fight with Superstar #ShoaibAkhtar and first time reveals old secrets as what went wrong between two old friends of last 30 years.
“I knew Shoaib since when no one knew him”.
👇https://t.co/y35rDJAs5w #Video #Vimeo pic.twitter.com/vR6T7RREtW— Rauf Klasra (@KlasraRauf) November 5, 2021
Moreover, Dr. Niaz further mentioned that after the show his father also condemned him for his behavior. He further admits that, it was rude behavior and he should have handled the situation in another way. Niaz said that, “It shouldn’t have happened. I’m ready to pay the price and am paying.”
Read also: Nauman Niaz barred from hosting show following spat with Shoaib Akhtar
Meanwhile, after facing a serious backlash for insulting a cricket legend Dr. Nauman Niaz was barred from hosting the PTV Sports’ programme ‘Game On Hai’.
The incident
The altercation between Akhtar and Niaz had taken place during a post-match analysis after Pakistan’s win against New Zealand in a T20 World Cup fixture on Tuesday. The two were part of a panel for PTV Sports’ programme ‘Game On Hai’.
During a discussion on the Pakistan squad, Akhtar had credited the Pakistan Super League’s (PSL) Lahore Qalandars franchise for discovering Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf.
Niaz, however, had taken issue with Akhtar’s comments and said, “You are being a little rude so I don’t want to say this but if you’re being over-smart then you can go. I am saying this on air.”
Once the show had resumed after a break, Akhtar had apologized to the guests on the panel and announced his resignation from PTV, saying he could not continue with the programme because of “how I was treated on national television”.
The episode had caused an uproar on social media with politicians, journalists, and media persons coming to the former cricketer’s defense and criticizing Niaz for his behavior.
