Umar Akmal: “I’m willing to say it on camera – there are players who seriously damaged Pakistan’s image and were punished for it, yet they are now key members of the national team”
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Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal revealed there are key players in the national team right now who “seriously damaged Pakistan’s image and were punished for it”.
While the 35-year-old didn’t name anyone, he knows what these cricketers have done.
“I’m willing to say it on camera – there are players who seriously damaged Pakistan’s image and were punished for it, yet they are now key members of the national team,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Akmal has been trying to resurrect his international career, but last represented his country in October 2019.
He did not play in the 2025 Pakistan Super League (PSL), which was won by the Lahore Qalandars.
After PSL 10, Pakistan took on Bangladesh in a three-match T20I series in Lahore and triumphed 3-0.
They then toured Bangladesh for a three-match T20I series and ended up being beaten 2-1.
As for the white-ball tour of the West Indies, the men in green won the T20I series 2-1 before losing the ODIs 2-1.
Pakistan’s next assignment will be a T20I tri-series against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Afghanistan in Sharjah, which will take place from August 29 to September 7.
Following this, they will participate in the 2025 Asia Cup, which will be held in the UAE from September 9 to 28.
Pakistan squad for UAE T20I tri-series and 2025 Asia Cup: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem