Umar Akmal suffered epileptic fit

Published August 19, 2013
Umar Akmal. -File photo
Umar Akmal. -File photo

KARACHI: Pakistan batsman/wicket-keeper Umar Akmal suffered an epileptic fit during a flight to Jamaica and spent a night in a hospital before being rushed home, a relative said on Sunday.

“We are told that Umar suffered a seizure [epileptic related problem] on the flight to Jamaica and was rushed to a hospital where he spent a night before being rushed back to Pakistan,” the relative said.

Umar had been playing for Barbados Tridents in the ongoing Caribbean League after Pakistan’s recent tour to the West Indies.

“Umar’s physio was with him who took him to the hospital. The same official will be travelling with him to Dubai as a precaution,” added the relative.

Doctors in the West Indies have ruled Umar out of any danger, the family said.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday pulled the 23-year-old from the squad to tour Zimbabwe and replaced him with wicket-keeper/batsman Sarfraz Ahmed.

Umar was selected for the Twenty20 and one-day legs of the tour.

Pakistan plays the first of two Twenty20 matches in Harare on Aug 23 before playing three one-day and two Tests on the tour.

The PCB said on Saturday that Umar had been called back from the West Indies for fitness problems. Local media had initially reported that Umar was suffering from a back problem.

“Umar has immediately been called back,” a PCB statement said. “He will undergo a complete medical examination to reassess the level of his fitness, meanwhile the national selection committee has proposed the name of Sarfraz as his replacement for Pakistan one-day and T20 squads for the upcoming tour of Zimbabwe.”—AFP

Opinion

Editorial

The challenge before banks
Updated 27 Feb, 2025

The challenge before banks

The way we do banking today will not exist in next 10 years, only those will survive who are capable of adopting new technologies.
Torkham tension
27 Feb, 2025

Torkham tension

CONTROVERSY over demarcation of the common frontier is one of the key obstacles standing in the way of better...
Weak link
27 Feb, 2025

Weak link

KARACHI — economic powerhouse, cultural melting pot, and bustling metropolis of over 20m souls. There is much that...
Forgotten inmates
Updated 26 Feb, 2025

Forgotten inmates

Diversion programmes are needed for minor offences and people with psychosocial disabilities should receive treatment rather than be jailed.
Controlling crypto
26 Feb, 2025

Controlling crypto

THOUGH Pakistan’s official position on cryptocurrencies has evolved considerably over the years, there still seems...
Deadly roads
26 Feb, 2025

Deadly roads

DRIVING in Karachi can be hazardous, with chaos on the roads, and very little by way of following rules and...