‘Should I go and perform in India or Australia?’ - Kamran Akmal lashes out at PCB selectors after his T20I snub

Out of favour wicketkeeper-batsman, Kamran Akmal went on a proper rant against the national selection-committee-led by Head Coach Misbah Ul Haq on Tuesday where he accused the selectors of constantly ignoring the former opener despite him continuously performing in domestic cricket as well as the Pakistan Super League. Akmal was a part of the Central Punjab team that won the Quaid-a-Azam Trophy- Pakistan’s premier First-Class competition where he once again was once again ended up as one of the top run-getters.

The former Pakistan opener emerged as the second-highest run-getter amassing 906 runs at a brilliant average of 60.40 with the help of three half-centuries and as many three-figure scores. Akmal lashed out at the Misbah-ul-Haq-led selection committee and even went on to say that will he have to go to India or Australia to be considered. Akmal feels that going to Prime Minister Imran Khan is the only option left for him since the current selection committee isn’t rewarding meritocracy.

“I don’t lose heart but there is a limit. It’s been 5 years, you have brought a new system which will have the best quality, best talent and whoever performs will automatically be considered. Should I go and perform in India or Australia to be considered? I am Pakistan’s player, I have been performing since 5 years, how much should I tolerate it? Should I go to the Prime Minister and say this is my performance for 5 years? If there’s someone who is playing ahead of me with fantastic performances, that’s fine. I said play me as a wicket-keeper if needed,” Akmal said as quoted by the Indian Express.

Kamran Akmal lashes out at the selection committee for overlooking meritocracy

Pakistan recently announced the 15-member squad for the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh where Mohammad Rizwan was retained as the designated keeper-batsman despite underwhelming performances in Australia. Akmal feels that players who have been performing consistently well in the domestic circuit- for example, Fawad Alam– aren’t getting rewarded, urging the selectors to put the country in front, and not their personal biases.

“In T20, there is a spot available but you are forcefully playing someone else. This is Pakistan’s team, keep Pakistan in front. If someone is performing, they should be picked. There are many players like me who are deserving, like Fawad Alam, look at his performances. I think his limit has also been reached. Am I talking without performances? ”

Taking a dig on former coach Mickey Arthur, who had initiated the policy of ‘Yo-Yo’ tests, Akmal said that the test was just a facade and cited examples of former cricketers like Inzamam-ul-Haq, Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Yousuf when he said, “The examples are all in front of us. Shoaib Akhtar, Inzi bhai, Yousuf bhai, they would be hiding in the field. Inzi bhai was a great slip catcher. Shoaib bhai would only bowl, he won you matches. Do you think we are crazy? They are making cricketers go crazy now.”

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