"Keep Your Personal Agendas Aside" - Kamran Akmal Tears Apart Babar Azam Over The Non-Selection Of Umar Akmal Against New Zealand

Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal slammed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and skipper Babar Azam over the non-selection of his brother Umar Akmal in the squad for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand. Kamran Akmal said that Umar performed well in the recently-concluded Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Umar Akmal last represented Pakistan in a T20I match against Sri Lanka in October 2019. The 32-year-old played for Quetta Gladiators in PSL 8, scoring 95 runs in five innings at a strike rate of 186.27 with a best score of 43. He received a two-year ban from the PCB for failing to report corrupt approaches during PSL 2020 and apologised to the board.

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This Seems Like A Game Of Musical Chairs – Kamran Akmal

In an exclusive interview with a local media news channel, Kamran Akmal lashed out at the team management, saying that the selection process happens based on their connections on the board. Kamran argued that the team selection should not be based on performance and put Pakistan first.

“Keep your personal agendas aside, drafting a team should be about putting Pakistan first, not personal agendas or preferences. It’s concerning to see players being shifted between formats based on connections rather than performance. We can’t afford to treat team selection like a game of musical chairs,” said Kamran Akmal.

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“The team selection should not be based on transitioning players between formats solely on the basis of their connections in the board. It’s not right to include someone in the ODI lineup just because they didn’t perform well in T20I. This seems like a game of musical chairs, and it’s not fair to the team or the players,” he added.

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Umar Deserves To Be Part Of The Team – Kamran Akmal

Kamran Akmal said that his younger brother Umar Akmal should have been part of the Pakistan cricket team, but he is not getting proper treatment. The wicketkeeper-batsman also said that the team captain should consider the team’s requirements before the selection.

“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 said.

“The team captain should also think about this, not only the selection committee. He’s been with the team for the last four to five years, he should look for the ground requirements of the team,” he concluded.

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