LONDON– Umar Akmal, the Pakistani cricket player, had a meeting with Nawaz Sharif, the leader of PML-N and former prime minister, at his residence in London. The encounter was captured on video and quickly spread across social media, accompanied by claims that the right-handed batsman intends to join PML-N before the upcoming elections in Pakistan.

Following the meeting, Umar Akmal spoke with the media and mentioned that he had requested the meeting with the former prime minister, expressing gratitude for Nawaz Sharif taking the time to meet with him. However, he refrained from disclosing the details of their conversation.

Read more : Nawaz Sharif back in London after Europe tour

When asked, Umar Akmal suggested that cricket’s situation would improve further with Nawaz Sharif’s return to the country.

In February 2020, Umar Akmal received a three-year ban from all cricket formats by the PCB’s Anti-Corruption Tribunal due to his failure in reporting a match-fixing related approach during the 2020 Pakistan Super League. Following an appeal, his ban was reduced to one year. As part of his rehabilitation process, Umar Akmal was permitted to participate in club cricket activities in 2021.