'Longest No-Ball In Cricket History': Pakistan Bowler's Over-Step Raises Spot-Fixing Suspicion Like Mohammad Amir

A very odd-looking no-ball by Pakistan fast bowler Asad Akhtar has raised a storm on social media. In a National T20 Cup match - the men's professional domestic Twenty20 cricket competition in Pakistan - on March 14, the right-arm pacer conceded 21 runs in an over he bowled for Karachi Blues against Lahore Blues at the Imran Khan Cricket Stadium in Peshawar. Akhtar bowled two wides and two no-balls. In one of his no-balls, Akhtar's front foot was quite a distance from the bowling crease. It drew instant comparison with Mohammad Amir's infamous no-ball in 2010 against England, which was later proven to be part of a spot-fixing scandal.

Fixing suspicion?

That no-ball from Asad Akhtar in Pakistan's National T20 Cup wasn't just big, it was alarmingly big. This ball instantly brings back memories of the infamous no-ball from Mohammad Amir during the spot-fixing scandal.

Then there were two wides and two no-balls… pic.twitter.com/wk25tZZWZO

— Vipin Tiwari (@Vipintiwari952) March 15, 2026

A 25 year old Pakistani pacer, Asad Akhtar, bowled a shocking no ball in their ongoing premium domestic T20 tournament and it looked ridiculously suspicious. Spot fixing again. pic.twitter.com/zFRzScLFLx

— Kakarot (@MidOffMind) March 15, 2026

Is this the longest no-ball in cricket history?

Karachi Blues' Asad Akhtar produced a massive overstep in the Pakistan National T20 Cup.#Cricket #PakistanCricket #NationalT20Cup #cricketnews pic.twitter.com/Tx581bKlBr

— TMN Sports (@TMNSportsLive) March 16, 2026

Recently, former Pakistan all-rounder and national selector Abdul Razzaq revealed how, by a quirk of fate, the 2010 spot-fixing conspiracy first came to the attention of the team management during the tour of England. Razzaq also recounted how then captain Shahid Afridi slapped fast bowler Mohammad Amir after the young pacer initially denied involvement in the scandal. Speaking on a Pakistani television show, Razzaq said the plot behind the fixing during the 2010 Lord's Test was uncovered by a friend of his in London who repaired mobile phones part-time.

"What happened was that Mazhar Majeed came to my friend and asked him to repair one of his phones. When my friend managed to get the phone working late at night, he found several messages between Mazhar and the three players detailing plans to spot-fix in the match," Razzaq said.

Majeed was later jailed for conspiring with Pakistan Test captain Salman Butt and fast bowlers Mohammad Asif and Amir to spot-fix during the Test.

According to Razzaq, his friend immediately showed him the messages, prompting him to inform Afridi, who was the senior-most player in the squad at the time.

Afridi had stepped down as Test captain ahead of the series but remained the white-ball skipper.

"Afridi called Amir, who was just 18 then, to his room and asked me to wait outside. I could hear Afridi getting angry and asking him to tell the truth. When he kept denying it, I heard a loud slap and rushed inside," Razzaq recalled

Topics mentioned in this article

Pakistan Cricket Team Mohammad Amir Cricket