Kamran Akmal furiously demands 2-year ban on star batter from Pakistan team after Bangladesh hammering
Published - 05 Sep 2024, 05:03 PM | Updated - 05 Sep 2024, 11:49 PM
Former Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal has criticized the national team batters following their 2-0 Test series loss to Bangladesh at home. Akmal stated that he would exclude Saim Ayub from the team for two years due to his shot selection in the second and final Test match of the series.
Pakistan's batting collapsed in both Tests of the series against Bangladesh. The home team was bowled out for 146 runs and 172 runs in the second innings of both Test matches. Apart from Mohammad Rizwan, no other Pakistani batter averaged 40 in the recently concluded Test series on home soil.
Pakistan lost their first-ever Test to Bangladesh during the series opener. The home team faced a must-win situation in the second Test to avoid a series defeat. They failed to clinch the victory in the final Test match. As a result, they lost the series by a humiliating margin in front of the home crowd.
I Wouldn't Let Saim Ayub Come Near The Team - Kamran Akmal
In an interview with Cricket Pakistan, Kamran Akmal expressed disappointment with Saim Ayub's dismissal after scoring a half-century in the first innings of the second Test. Akmal also criticized the excessive support given to players.
"These guys are being supported way too much. Honestly, if I were in charge, I swear I wouldn't let Saim come near the team for the next two years after getting out like he did in the first innings of the second Test, especially after making 50 runs," said Kamran Akmal.
We're Not laying The Cricket Of The '90s or '80s - Kamran Akmal
Kamran Akmal also criticized Abdullah Shafique's technique and approach in Test cricket. He said that modern cricket requires a more aggressive stance from the start. Akmal noted that Shafique's inability to score runs against weaker teams is a concern for both him and the Pakistan team.
"Abdullah Shafique, as you can see, is a specialist opener. Whether it's the first ball or not, cricket has become so fast-paced that runs are expected right from the start," Kamran Akmal added.
"You can see that our approach is totally different; we’re not playing the cricket of the '90s or '80s. Just killing time and seeing off the ball won’t get you runs. If a player like Abdullah Shafique isn’t scoring runs against such teams, then I think it’s a worrying sign, both for Abdullah and for Pakistan."
Saim Ayub had a decent series despite a disappointing dismissal in the second Test match. The left-handed batter scored 135 runs at an average of 33.76, including two half-centuries. Abdullah Shafique struggled throughout the series, scoring only 42 runs in four innings at a dismal average of 10.50.
Pakistan will face a challenging task to recover from their series defeat to Bangladesh. The Shan Masood-led team will take on England in the upcoming three-match Test series starting on October 7. When Pakistan last hosted England for a three-match Test series, they lost by a 3-0 margin.
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Kamran Akmal Pakistan National Cricket Team Bangladesh National Cricket Team Pakistan vs Bangladesh 2024