Iqbal Qasim: “If I was the selector, I would have picked both Akmal brothers as they provide depth and balance in the team”

Image courtesy of: Pakistan Super League

Former Pakistan left-arm spinner Iqbal Qasim believes that the national team should have picked wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal and his brother Umar for the World Cup.

Kamran last played for Pakistan in April 2017, while Umar made his international comeback during the recent five-match ODI series against Australia.

However, Kamran was the second-highest scorer in this year’s Pakistan Super League (PSL), where he accumulated 357 runs in 13 games for the Peshawar Zalmi, which included three half-centuries, at an average of 27.46.

He followed that up with 86 runs in four matches for Punjab in the Pakistan Cup, which is a domestic 50-over competition, at an average of 21.50.

As for Umar, he scored 150 runs at an average of 30 in the ODI series against Australia.

He was recalled based on his performance for the Quetta Gladiators in the PSL, where he scored 277 runs in 12 matches, which included two half-centuries, at an average of 34.62.

Umar was also the highest run-scorer in the Pakistan Cup as he amassed 342 runs in five matches for Balochistan, which included a century and two fifties, at an average of 85.50.

“I feel the Pakistan team badly misses the likes of Umar Akmal and Kamran Akmal as both of them could be highly important for any team as they can bat at any given number and both have loads of experience,” Qasim told The Nation. “Umar is a fearless cricketer and has all the shots in the book. He can score quick runs and he is an excellent fielder as well. If I was the selector, I would have picked both Akmal brothers as they provide depth and balance in the team.”

Pakistan will kick off their World Cup campaign against the West Indies in Nottingham on May 31.

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