T20 World Cup 2022: Tweet Prevented His Selection - Kamran Akmal After Shoaib Malik's Omission From Pakistan's 15-man Squad

Pakistan announced a 15-man squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on Thursday (September 15). The team selected for the major event includes top-order batsman Shan Masood for the first time, and Shaheen Shah Afridi, who is now undergoing rehabilitation in London, was also included in the squad.

Fakhar Zaman was dropped to the reserves and former captains like Shoaib Malik and Sarfaraz Ahmed did not make the squad.

Pakistan name squad for ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022

More details ⤵️https://t.co/1nlugOCgL7

— PCB Media (@TheRealPCBMedia) September 15, 2022

Shoaib Malik posted a cryptic tweet after the loss in the final to Sri Lanka by 23 runs. He tweeted “When will we come out from friendship, liking & and disliking culture. Allah always helps the honest.”

– When will we come out from friendship, liking & disliking culture.
Allah always helps the honest…

— Shoaib Malik ?? (@realshoaibmalik) September 11, 2022

Tweet Prevented His Selection – Kamran Akmal

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Akmal claimed that Malik was not selected in the T20 World Cup squad because of his candidness on social media. He also criticized the selectors for failing to pick a better middle-order players.

“Many players deserved chances, especially in the middle order. An experienced player like Shoaib Malik could’ve been utilized and I feel the tweet prevented his selection. He was honest. I feel experienced players like Malik should put forth their point for improving the sport.”

“I feel people’s memories are short and they wait for the next fortune. The selectors did the same and I feel they could’ve done a better job in announcing the squad.”

Malik, Pakistan’s most-capped T20 player and third-highest run-scorer in the format, last played for his country in November 2021. Former Pakistan skipper played in 123 T20is and he has 2423 runs scored at a strike rate of 125.67 and an average of 31.46.

The right-handed batter was crucial in Pakistan’s campaign to the semi-finals of the previous T20 World Cup in the UAE, scoring an 18-ball unbroken 54 against Scotland in Sharjah. After Pakistan’s defeat in the semifinals, he was not considered to play for them.

Pakistan, who won their first T20 World Cup in 2009, will begin their campaign on October 23 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground against archrival India.

Also read: T20 World Cup 2022: Babar Azam Asked Me If I Wanted To Retire Last Year – Shoaib Malik