Kamran Akmal Lambasts Pakistan Cricket Board After West Indies T20I Series Reduced

Former Pakistan stumper Kamran Akmal has lambasted the PCB after the originally scheduled five-match T20I series against the West Indies was reduced to four games.

With Covid-19 creating havoc during the recent ODI series between hosts West Indies and Australia, Cricket West Indies and PCB announced that the five-match T20I series between the current and former T20 world champions will now be a four-game affair.

Several former Pakistani cricketers have expressed their strong displeasure at the development.

The latest to join the bandwagon is Kamran Akmal, who feels that the latest move is a fair reflection of where Pakistan Cricket stands currently.

Akmal slammed the PCB for agreeing to cut one T20I especially after they had already let go of one Test match on request by West Indies Cricket Board.

Pakistan will now lock horns with the Caribbean unit in four T20Is and two Test matches over the next month or so.

“The T20I series between West Indies and Pakistan is about to start. I was saddened when the schedule was announced and a match was removed from the series. I am saddened because I feel that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) or Pakistan team does not hold importance. The biggest thing is that our think tank, which comprises of PCB officials, should not have agreed to reduce a match. They could have taken it further, similar to how they did with Australia. They should have rescheduled it,” Akmal said.

“No one can stop the problems created by Covid-19. International teams have to adapt accordingly. Pakistan should have a say in these matters and debate them. I think Pakistan had made a blunder earlier by reducing a Test match in favor of T20Is. Now even reducing the T20I is an unacceptable development. It is not a good thing for Pakistan cricket. I don’t think they take Pakistan seriously. I think the management should think about this because this is not right since Pakistan has a big history in cricket,” he added.

‘West Indies T20Is really important for Pakistan’s confidence’- Kamran Akmal

With the pitch in Barbados aiding the spinners in the recent ODI series between the hosts and Australia, Kamran Akmal believes that it is a golden opportunity for the likes of Shadab Khan to regain his form.

Pakistan lost their last T20I series to England a few days ago and Kamran Akmal believes that the upcoming T20I rubber against the defending champions is crucial for the Babar Azam-led unit as the tourists aim to regain their form and return to winning ways.

“The best thing would be for Pakistan to win the upcoming series. It is really important for their confidence. West Indies’ team, no doubt, is really great. They won a T20I series against Australia. We have seen in the last match in Barbados that it wasn’t a high-scoring pitch and the spinner dominated. Our spinners will have a lot of responsibility. It is a chance for Shadab to regain his confidence. He needs to perform as he has in the past. Usman Qadir is an outstanding spinner. He has variety. He just needs confidence and self-belief because spinners have been dominating there. Then you have Imad Wasim and Mohammad Nawaz. We will have to see who plays between them. I think Imad will be more dangerous on these pitches,” he said.

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