Umar Akmal: “As far as the selection for the World Cup is concerned, that is the job of the selectors, coaches and captain”
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal has revealed that it is up to the national selectors, coaches and captain Sarfraz Ahmed to decide whether he should be picked for the World Cup.
Akmal made his international comeback in the recently concluded ODI series against Australia, where he scored 150 runs in five matches at an average of 30.
He was called up for the series due to his performance in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), where he accumulated 277 runs in 12 matches for the Quetta Gladiators at an average of 34.62.
However, the 28-year-old was recently fined 20 percent of his match fee from the fifth ODI against Australia in Dubai as he broke the team’s curfew.
It is understood that Akmal attended a concert by American singer Akon last Friday night without obtaining permission to do so by the team management.
Despite failing to make the most of his opportunities against Australia, Akmal did star for Balochistan in their Pakistan Cup opener against Punjab on Tuesday as he was named Man of the Match for his unbeaten 136, which came off 108 balls and included 14 boundaries and five sixes.
Thanks to Akmal, Balochistan won the match by six wickets.
“First of all I want to thank the Almighty, I dont want to remember the past and am proceeding game to game,” he was quoted as saying by PakPassion. “My job is to perform and as far as the selection for the World Cup is concerned, that is the job of the selectors, coaches and captain; I will do my utmost to perform well in the remaining games and play an important role in helping my team win.
“Like the head coach had told me to finish games and be a good player for Pakistan, I applied that advice here today and the Almighty made me successful.
“I would like to thank our batting coach Grant Flower for the work he put with me in the UAE, [and] head coach [Mickey Arthur] for his work [with] me as well.
“This is our top 50-over domestic tournament and all performances in this are never wasted.”
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