NEW DELHI: Former Pakistani cricketer Kamran Akmal has opened up about his controversial comment regarding Sikhs while discussing Indian pacer Arshdeep Singh on a Pakistani TV show during the T20 World Cup. The comment had sparked widespread outrage and angered former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.

Nearly a month later, Akmal and Harbhajan came face to face during the India vs Pakistan match at the World Championship of Legends (WCL) tournament in Birmingham.


The recent encounter between former cricket rivals Harbhajan and Kamran has garnered significant attention in the sporting world. The incident, which occurred after the match, was captured on video and widely shared on social media platforms.


Reflecting on their conversation, Akmal told Paktv.tv, “(Mujhse galti hui thi aur wahi ek baat chal rahi thi) I made a mistake, and that was the only topic being discussed. It was never my intention, and I can never think negatively about anyone’s religion. I have made that clear. It should be done because I am younger, they are seniors and a great off-spinner in Indian and world cricket.”


“Then we talked, and you might have seen Babar being mocked. No doubt, Babar is also a great batsman in Pakistan cricket; he has scored the most hundreds for Pakistan. No doubt, Brian Lara and Babar’s class don’t match, and they shouldn’t be compared. But as cricketers, we shouldn’t mock anyone. So I talked about it, and he (Harbhajan) also agreed that it shouldn’t have happened from his side either,” he added.

The controversy stemmed from an inappropriate remark made by Kamran Akmal during Pakistan’s T20 World Cup match against India, which India won by a narrow margin of six runs.

Reacting to Akmal’s comment, Harbhajan said, “Kamran Akmal should understand that there is no need to say anything about anyone’s religion and make fun of it. I would like to ask Kamran Akmal if he knows the history of Sikhs, who are Sikhs and all the work that Sikhs have done to save your community, your mothers, and sisters.”

In the aftermath of the backlash, Kamran Akmal issued a public apology. “I deeply regret my recent comments and sincerely apologize to @harbhajan_singh and the Sikh community. My words were inappropriate and disrespectful. I have the utmost respect for Sikhs all over the world and never intended to hurt anyone. I am truly sorry,” Akmal wrote on X.