Wasim Akram to face arrest over alleged promotion of online gambling app

Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram is facing legal troubles after being accused of promoting an online sports betting and gambling platform. According to a report in PTI, a formal complaint has been registered in Lahore, and authorities began an investigation under the Electronic Crimes Act 2016.

A Lahore-based citizen, Muhammad Faiz, has lodged a complaint with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) against Wasim Akram. Faiz alleged that the former Pakistan fast bowler was linked to a foreign betting platform and urged authorities to take strict action against him.

Wasim Akram Could Face Arrest Over Alleged Promotion of Online Gambling App

The complaint accused Akram of promoting the international betting platform Baji. Notably, the allegations gained traction after posters and video clips showing Akram endorsing the app surfaced on social media.

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“A poster circulating on social media and a video clip show Wasim Akram endorsing the online platform, which has sparked interest among general users in the App," the complainant said.

The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has confirmed receipt of the complaint and stated that action will follow if the charges are proven. Akram has not released any official statement so far.

"We will take action against him if the allegations are found to be true," an NCCIA official said.

Meanwhile, in a related development, popular YouTuber and TikToker Saad-ur-Rehman (Ducky Bhai) was recently arrested for his involvement in promoting the same betting app.

Not the First Time Controversy Has Threatened Wasim Akram’s Career

During the 1980s and 1990s, Wasim Akram was repeatedly linked to match-fixing scandals in domestic and international cricket.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) investigation found his involvement but refrained from imposing heavy sanctions due to his stature as a senior player and global star.

Akram is one of the greatest cricketers for Pakistan on the field. He represented the nation in 104 Tests and 356 ODIs, amassing over 6,500 runs and claiming 414 Test wickets along with 502 ODI scalps. He cemented his place among the game’s greatest fast bowlers despite controversies.

Imran Khan Used to Give Us a Lot of Confidence - Wasim Akram

It is worth noting that promoting betting or gambling apps is strictly banned in Pakistan, where such actions are treated as a serious crime. Akram was recently seen covering a Test between India and England during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025.

Notably, just a day after the allegations surfaced, Akram praised his first captain, Imran Khan, during the Stick to Cricket podcast. He said that Khan’s confidence, leadership, and hard work shaped his own cricketing journey on and off the field.

“I think whatever I did as a cricketer, off the field, on the field, credit goes to him. He used to give us a lot of confidence. He led from the front. He had a belief in his own ability. He was a hardworking cricketer," Akram said on the Stick to Cricket podcast.

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