LAHORE – Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chief Selector Inzamam-ul-Haq said that the national cricket team could only afford to carry one Akmal at a time, as he announced the limited-overs squads for the upcoming tour to West Indies.
As Umar Akmal made way for elder brother Kamran, Inzamam said that one Akmal is a big enough load, and when they exist in the plural, it creates havoc for the team – both on and off the field.
“It’s rash shots or dropped howlers on the pitch, and clashes with officials or ridiculously coloured tweets off it,” said Inzi while talking about the brothers. “It is impossible for any self-respecting national sports outfit to carry all that baggage and then multiply it as well.”
The chief selector said the Akmal family has been long aware of the policy.
“On current batting form it is obviously Kamran who should be the one designated Akmal in the side,” Inzamam said.
Meanwhile, Kamran Akmal reassured the nation that he won’t be keeping wickets for Pakistan.
“I can understand the uneasiness and concerns, but I promise that I will not be keeping wickets for Pakistan. I will only play as a batsman and I thank Sarfraz for that,” Akmal said. “And if you all really judged me from my batting alone, for over a decade, you might even start hating me less.”
