Kamran Akmal: “I don’t think they’re dealing with Umar appropriately. He deserves to play for the national side”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Kamran Akmal, the Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman, said his brother Umar Akmal “deserves to be part of the team”.
Umar last played international cricket in October 2019 and has not been given many chances due to off-field issues and various controversies.
However, he recently represented the Quetta Gladiators in the 2023 Pakistan Super League (PSL), where he made 95 runs in six matches at an average of 23.75 and a strike-rate of 186.27.
Demanding justice for the 33-year-old, Kamran insisted that this like and dislike culture needs to stop and accused the selectors of not “dealing with Umar appropriately”.
“Teams shouldn’t be based on liking or disliking. Umar deserves to be part of the team. Change of faces at higher levels should come with change of approach and selection criteria. I don’t think they’re dealing with Umar appropriately. He deserves to play for the national side,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Pakistan will now go up against Sri Lanka in a two-Test series, which will be held in Galle and Colombo from July 16 to 28.
Pakistan Squad for Sri Lanka Test Series:Â Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (vc & wk), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Muhammad Huraira, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shan Masood