Roshan Abeysinghe on Umar Akmal: “I thought he would break a lot of records for Pakistan. I though he was good as any young batsman and could have been Pakistan’s answer to Virat Kohli”

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Sri Lanka commentator Roshan Abeysinghe believes that Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal was so talented that he “could have been Pakistan’s answer to Virat Kohli”.

Abeysinghe’s comments come after Akmal was banned for three years by the Pakistan Cricket Board for failing to report corrupt approaches ahead of this year’s Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Akmal, who will be eligible to start playing cricket again on February 19, 2023, has been compared to Kohli in the past, given how well he fared early on in his career.

Kohli, who captains India, is widely regarded as the best batsman in the game today.

Abeysinghe admitted that it is a shame how Akmal’s career has ended up as he believed the 29-year-old would “break a lot of records for Pakistan”.

“I thought he would break a lot of records for Pakistan. I though he was good as any young batsman and could have been Pakistan’s answer to Virat Kohli,” Abeysinghe was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.

“He is very talented and it is very unfortunate that a career which should have gone upwards has gone in a different direction. Personally I rate him very highly and will continue to rate him very highly.”

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