Umar Akmal fails fitness test ahead of ICC Champions Trophy 2017

The eight edition of the ICC Champions Trophy will commence from 1st of June this year. Pakistan has never tasted success in the ‘mini World Cup’. They are raring to go will all cylinders blazing this year. Head coach Mickey Arthur is already with the team at Birmingham, the venue for their first game. The players are training hard and giving their everything in the 3-hour log fitness sessions.

Recently Mickey Arthur revealed that fielding and fitness are the two areas which hold maximum importance to him. Pakistan is going with a strict policy of having only fit and agile players in the team. Batsman Umar Akmal is not found that agile and athletic and hence he has to return to Pakistan. According to reports, he consecutively failed in two fitness tests in two days.

Akmal was dropped from the squad after Pakistan lost 4-1 against Australia earlier this year in January. But the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) called him back to be a part of the ICC Champions Trophy squad. 83-year old chairman of PCB Shaharyar told ESPN cricinfo that they are not going to carry any unfit player in the team. “He has failed two fitness tests during the ongoing camp there in England ahead of Champions Trophy. So since we have a policy not to carry unfit players, it has been decided to call him back and send a replacement. We have a deadline until May 25 so we are deliberating on the possible replacements,” said Khan.

In the queue to come in place of Akmal

The PCB has shortlisted the name of two players to come in place of ‘unfit’ Umar Akmal. The first name is Umar Amin, the 27-year old batsman. The second name is of the 28-year old cricketer Haris Sohail. Sohail was a part of the Pakistan squad in the ICC World Cup 2015. But both Amin and Sohail have not played ODIs for a while now. Sohail played his last ODI almost a couple of years ago in September 2015. Amin played his last ODI way back in October 2014.

Pakistan is placed in Group A alongside defending champions India, Sri Lanka and South Africa. They will begin their campaign against India on 4th June at Edgbaston, Birmingham.