Kamran Akmal lashes out at PCB for snubbing him despite good PSL & domestic performances

Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal last represented the national side during a limited-overs series against West Indies in April 2017. The 38-year-old recently blamed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for sidelining him in spite of putting up some impressive batting performances in Pakistan Super League (PSL) as well as in domestic cricket. Kamran Akmal is currently the leading run-scorer across PSL seasons with 1,537 runs in 55 innings. During the PSL 2020 season, the right-hander scored 251 runs in nine innings while playing for Peshawar Zalmi.

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Kamran Akmal slams PCB, says “unfair to keep me out”

Kamran Akmal recently interacted on the ‘Inside Out’ Show on Cricket Pakistan. He said that he has been performing well in domestic cricket and in PSL matches for the past five years and he is still not given a chance to play for Pakistan by the PCB since 2017. Kamran Akmal was of the opinion that a “couple of coaches” of the recent past have not liked him, thus terming it as a reason why he continues to remain in the sidelines. This is a direct dig at the likes of Waqar Younis, Dav Whatmore and Mickey Arthur, who coached the national side before Misbah-ul-Haq.

Kamran Akmal also said that it’s “unfair” to keep him out of Test and T20I line-ups because he believes he can solely play as a batsman. He spoke about Matthew Wade by saying that the Australian wicketkeeper-batsman made a comeback with an average of 18 to 20 in international cricket. Kamran Akmal added that he should also make a comeback since he “averages nearly 60”.

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Kamran Akmal opens up about Umar Akmal ban

Kamran Akmal’s brother Umar Akmal was recently handed a three-year suspension from cricket by the PCB. The ban was imposed on the right-handed batsman because he failed to report the corruption approaches made towards him ahead of the PSL 2020 season. Speaking about Umar Akmal ban, Kamran Akmal felt that the situation should have been handled better by the PCB.

In an interview on YouTube’s Cow Corner Chronicles on April 28, Kamran Akmal said that his younger brother merely reported late to the governing body and he is not what the media is making him out to be. He added that cricket is our “bread and butter” and stated that Umar Akmal should have been supported by the PCB instead.

Kamran Akmal on Umar Akmal ban, watch video

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Image credits: ICC Twitter