Shoaib Akhtar

Karachi: Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has confirmed that the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are yet to clear his dues.

Responding Wednesday to reports that principal owner Shah Rukh Khan’s Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise had yet to make the outstanding payments, Akhtar said: “Yes, it is a fact that they (KKR) have not paid me my dues despite reminders,” Akhtar revealed.

The pacer played for the Knight Riders in the inaugural edition of the T20 league and was one of the six Pakistani players whose contracts were terminated after the 26/11 attack in Mumbai.

Akhtar said that after the terror raid, KKR had informed him that they wished to sell him off after paying his dues. “But, until now, my dues have not been cleared,” he said.

Another Pakistani pacer Mohammed Asif, who played for the Delhi DareDevils in IPL I, too, had his contract terminated prematurely by the franchise but he had his dues cleared.

Akhtar conceded that he had issues with some clauses in the sell-out agreement and wanted 100 per cent payment after being released by the KKR.

The fast bowler said KKR officials had told him that they had been instructed by the IPL chairman and commissioner Lalit Modi to withhold any payments to the Pakistani players. (PTI)