Shoaib Akhtar Slams Pakistan Selectors For Not Selecting Fawad Alam For 11 Years After The Left-Hander Smashes His Second Hundred On Return

Former Pakistani fast bowler, Shoaib Akhtar takes a dig at the Pakistan selectors and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) over the exclusion of Fawad Alam for more than a decade. Fawad Alam is playing his 8th Test against South Africa in Karachi – what could have been his 80th had the selectors didn’t ignore him in the decade gone by.

Alam notched up his maiden Test hundred on debut against Sri Lanka in 2009. However, a couple of matches, later he was dropped, never to be picked again until August 2020. Despite Alam leading the domestic run-charts, season upon season, he was not picked in Pakistan’s national team. Of the 11 years, he was away from international cricket, the left-hander averaged more than 50 in 7 of those in first-class cricket.

Fawad was recalled in August last year having amassed more than 12,000 runs in domestic cricket. Alam scored a duck on his return against England, however, he grabbed the next chances with both hands. The 35-year-old recorded a century in New Zealand, and on Wednesday, against South Africa at his home ground at the National Stadium in Karachi.

Who will be answerable for not selecting him all these years?: Shoaib Akhtar

Shoaib Akhtar took to Twitter to question the PCB, with whom the pacer himself has had several issues over his career, over Fawad Alam’s omission from the national team for all these years.

Fawad Alam, batting with a crab-like unorthodox stance, which is believed that the former selectors didn’t see fit for international cricket, now has two hundreds in his last three matches on his return; one against a four-man pace cartel in New Zealand and another against a high-quality fast bowling attack of South Africa.

Shoaib Akhtar lauds the determination of the southpaw for not giving up on his dream to make a return to the national side while being axed for years despite piling a mountain of runs in the domestic circuit.

“Another 100 by @iamfawadalam25. So I’d like to know who will be answerable for not selecting him all these years? Great determination!” Shoaib Akhtar tweeted.

Against South Africa, Fawad pulled his team out from 27/4 with a gritty ton against a potent bowling attack to get the hosts a lead of 158.

Another 100 by @iamfawadalam25. So I'd like to know who will be answerable for not selecting him all these years?

Great determination! #FawadAlam

— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) January 27, 2021

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