7 years of cricket left in me: Kamran Akmal

Kamran Akmal hopes for comeback after fine Quaid Trophy run.

LAHORE:

Kamran Akmal has not played for Pakistan since the World Cup semi-final but hopes to make a comeback for next month’s series against England and represent Pakistan for another seven years.

Since Kamran’s omission, Pakistan have tried Mohammad Salman, Adnan Akmal and Sarfraz Ahmed behind the stumps, with the youngest of the playing Akmals – Umar – taking on the gloves in Twenty20s.

Kamran, who is the sixth highest run-scorer in the ongoing Quaid Trophy with 728 runs, had a meeting with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Zaka Ashraf and remains hopeful of returning to the national squad.

“My meeting with the chairman went well, the PCB is in possession of the documents that cleared me to play for Pakistan,” Kamran told The Express Tribune. “I was dropped due to poor form and now that I’ve worked hard on my batting and wicket-keeping, I’m hopeful of my inclusion in the squad for the series against England.”

Kamran, who has 38 dismissals to his credit this domestic season, has hit three centuries and three fifties, confirmed his fitness and also that he sought help from Ian Healy, Moin Khan, Rashid Latif and Mohtashim Rashid (current women’s team coach) in order to overcome his flaws that forced his omission.

“I’m 100% fit and ready to play for Pakistan and that remains my passion. I can play as a keeper or just as a batsman, it is for the selectors and the team management to decide.

“I haven’t stopped playing and training since my ouster and my performance in domestic cricket is there. I’m even playing club cricket in order to get as much exposure under my belt as possible.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 11^th, 2011.