‘Akmal should not have come back after Sydney’
Following Kamran Akmal’s dismal performance behind at Trent Bridge, his sacking is expected from the Test squad.
NOTTINGHAM:
Following Kamran Akmal’s dismal performance behind the stumps at Trent Bridge, calls are ripe once again, including from the team officials, for his sacking from the Test squad.
While latching onto every opportunity off the bat in the series against Australia, his reach against the swinging ball was widely questioned. However, the drop off Mohammad Aamir in the fifth over of the first Test against England amplified cries for his ouster.
“Akmal should’ve stayed out of the Test squad after his omission from the final Test in Australia [at Hobart],” a Pakistan team official told The Express Tribune. “He doesn’t look 100 per cent confident behind the stumps and these missed opportunities dent the whole team’s confidence.”
Sarfraz Ahmed was rushed to Australia following Akmal’s disastrous performance in Sydney but the young wicket-keeper has now been confined to wilderness and looks fourth in line behind Akmal. Zulqarnain Haider is the preferred backup for Akmal for the long tour of England and Sarfraz has also been overlooked for Pakistan A duties for the tour of Sri Lanka next month.
“What was the point in the Pakistan Cricket Board sending out Sarfraz as his replacement all the way to Australia if they didn’t want to keep him as backup for longer. Sarfraz is fit, energetic and certainly a good candidate as Akmal’s replacement the board should’ve stuck with him.”
However, it looks highly unlikely that Akmal will be replaced from the Test squad given Pakistan’s fragile batting line-up. His performance with the bat in England has been less than satisfactory and the lack of experience in Pakistan’s middle-order will force the team’s persistence with him. Calls for his inclusion as a specialist batsman, too, have been downplayed given his batting record in England.
“If you drop Akmal as the keeper, he can’t justify his place in the team given his batting record. He plays the rare innings but is far from consistent and including him will only force us to play another inexperienced individual in difficult conditions.”
Published in The Express Tribune, July 31st, 2010.
Following Kamran Akmal’s dismal performance behind the stumps at Trent Bridge, calls are ripe once again, including from the team officials, for his sacking from the Test squad.
While latching onto every opportunity off the bat in the series against Australia, his reach against the swinging ball was widely questioned. However, the drop off Mohammad Aamir in the fifth over of the first Test against England amplified cries for his ouster.
“Akmal should’ve stayed out of the Test squad after his omission from the final Test in Australia [at Hobart],” a Pakistan team official told The Express Tribune. “He doesn’t look 100 per cent confident behind the stumps and these missed opportunities dent the whole team’s confidence.”
Sarfraz Ahmed was rushed to Australia following Akmal’s disastrous performance in Sydney but the young wicket-keeper has now been confined to wilderness and looks fourth in line behind Akmal. Zulqarnain Haider is the preferred backup for Akmal for the long tour of England and Sarfraz has also been overlooked for Pakistan A duties for the tour of Sri Lanka next month.
“What was the point in the Pakistan Cricket Board sending out Sarfraz as his replacement all the way to Australia if they didn’t want to keep him as backup for longer. Sarfraz is fit, energetic and certainly a good candidate as Akmal’s replacement the board should’ve stuck with him.”
However, it looks highly unlikely that Akmal will be replaced from the Test squad given Pakistan’s fragile batting line-up. His performance with the bat in England has been less than satisfactory and the lack of experience in Pakistan’s middle-order will force the team’s persistence with him. Calls for his inclusion as a specialist batsman, too, have been downplayed given his batting record in England.
“If you drop Akmal as the keeper, he can’t justify his place in the team given his batting record. He plays the rare innings but is far from consistent and including him will only force us to play another inexperienced individual in difficult conditions.”
Published in The Express Tribune, July 31st, 2010.