LAHORE: Pakistan's wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal was given a green light and instructed on Wednesday to remain on stand-by to participate in the forthcoming Zimbabwe tour by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in place of Sarfraz Ahmed, DawnNews reported.

Sarfaraz, who will be unable to go to Zimbabwe due to visa issues, was chosen for the job after senior wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal faced the axe for his recent spate of poor performances and his younger brother Umar was dropped over a mysterious injury.

Sources said that Adnan would soon depart for Zimbabwe.

Adnan has not yet played any Twenty20 Internationals and has participated in just five ODIs between September 2011 and February 2012.

Meanwhile, Umar Akmal, who performed well both with the bat and gloves during the tour of the Caribbean, practiced at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore on Tuesday in a bid to prove that he is fit enough to participate in Zimbabwe.

Opinion

Editorial

Some progress
Updated 24 May, 2026

Some progress

Pakistan deserves credit for helping preserve diplomatic space, but also must avoid appearing aligned with coercive pressure from any side.
Chinese market
24 May, 2026

Chinese market

PRIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s trip to China presents an opportunity to rebalance Pakistan’s economic...
Harvesting humans
24 May, 2026

Harvesting humans

ORGAN brokers have for too long preyed on desperation to rake it in. The odious trade — among the most harmful...
More stabilisation
Updated 23 May, 2026

More stabilisation

The stabilisation achieved through painful growth compression steps could have been used as a platform for structural reforms.
Appalling tactics
23 May, 2026

Appalling tactics

IN Punjab, an encounter with the law can quickly turn deadly. Encouraged by a culture of ‘shoot first, ask...
Failed experiment
23 May, 2026

Failed experiment

IT is going from bad to worse for Shan Masood and Pakistan. It is now seven successive Test defeats away from home;...