Kamran Akmal: “the captain and coach at that time didn’t utilise him properly. He was such a talented player that his style of play exposed others, as not everyone could play like him”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal said not everyone could play like his brother Umar Akmal, who he feels was not utilised properly.
Umar Akmal: “He is my son and he is very passionate about cricket but if I share my honest opinion; I don’t want him to play cricket as you know it is Pakistan”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal has admitted that he doesn’t want his son to pursue a career in cricket.
Umar Akmal: “When I used to play for Pakistan, I also received offers for league cricket, but I preferred domestic cricket more”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal has revealed that he “received offers for league cricket”, but always prioritised domestic cricket.
Umar Akmal: “Babar was captain for nearly five years most of the time in all formats and he never tried to build up the bench strength due to his likes and dislikes”
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Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal has accused Babar Azam of only picking players he liked during his tenure as captain.
Umar Akmal on Babar Azam: “I told Babar that look give me a fair chance. You are doing well in the top order and I can be your finisher and we can win matches regularly and it will be good for Pakistan cricket. He didn’t listen to me”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal has revealed that he asked Babar Azam to let him return to the national team and play the role of a finisher, but was ignored.
Umar Akmal: “The one we call the ‘King’, Babar needs to score bigger runs. A lot of responsibility has fallen on him”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal said if Babar Azam is the “King”, he “needs to score bigger runs”.
Umar Akmal: “If he’s being trusted as an opener then he should live up to that trust”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Senior Pakistan cricketer Umar Akmal has called on Babar Azam to live up to the expectations as an opener if he is being trusted with the role.
Kamran Akmal: “Nobody will talk [about] Iftikhar Ahmed’s statement about the middle order batter. If the same thing had been done by Umar Akmal, then it would have been taken against him”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal believes his brother Umar would have been absolutely bashed if he had called himself a tailender instead of a middle order batsman like Iftikhar Ahmed did.
Basit Ali: “That is such a big insult to him. Babar is also a coward. He should have done it like Umar Akmal or Ahmed Shehzad [and] refused to play”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali believes Shoaib Malik’s decision to appoint Mohammad Haris as captain instead of Babar Azam for the Stallions in the Champions One-Day Cup was truly insulting.
Sarfaraz Ahmed: “Firstly, they need to decide whether they want to play or not. I think both of them are immensely talented players, there’s no doubt about their talent”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed hopes senior batsmen Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal start playing domestic cricket regularly as they are “immensely talented players”.
