Wasim Akram dismisses viral death rumours sparked by AI-generated video

ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has rejected false claims circulating on social media that he had died, after an AI-generated video allegedly said he had suffered a heart attack.

Responding in a video posted on Instagram, Akram criticised those who accepted the claim without verification.

"If you people cannot identify fake news in today's modern age, then what use are we old men in our sixties?" he said.

He also said some social media users had been asking him, "Are you alive," before replying sarcastically, "No, brother, I am making this video after passing away!"

Referring to the fabricated clip, Akram said its maker appeared to have invested considerable effort in creating the material, including the use of former cricketers Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Akhtar to spread the false claim.

"If they had used this mind for something good, they would have been highly successful in life," he added, before ending his message by thanking supporters and saying, "I am fine, thank you."

Separately, Shaniera Akram also posted a video on Instagram showing her husband exercising at the gym. In the caption accompanying the clip, she wrote, "In response to the FAKE news and AI videos circulating, I just took this video for you, and as you can see, he is in the gym and seems to be ok!"