Shahid Afridi: “Umar Akmal should thank Quetta Gladiators because other franchises were not interested in picking him in PSL”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has told batsman Umar Akmal to be thankful that the Quetta Gladiators picked him for this year’s Pakistan Super League (PSL).
He noted that none of the other franchises had any interest in the 32-year-old, who last played international cricket in October 2019.
Furthermore, he has had a number of disciplinary issues and been involved in controversies as well.
“Umar Akmal should thank Quetta Gladiators because other franchises were not interested in picking him in PSL,” Afridi was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
In PSL 8, Akmal scored 95 runs in six matches for the Gladiators at an average of 23.75 and a strike-rate of 186.27.
He is not part of Pakistan’s squad for their ongoing five-match ODI series against New Zealand, which they lead 2-0.
The third ODI will take place on Wednesday in Karachi.
Pakistan squad for ODI series against New Zealand:Â Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haris Sohail, Ihsanullah, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood and Usama Mir