Kamran Akmal steps up in defense of ‘talented’ brother
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Pakistan’s axed wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal launched a scathing attack on the team management, accusing it of making his brother Umar Akmal a 'sacrificial goat' for the national side's flop at the World Cup.
Umar made just 164 at 27.33 from seven World Cup matches and was dropped from all three formats for Pakistan's upcoming tour of Bangladesh. But Kamran, who has played alongside his brother in the national team, said Umar's career was being “destroyed” for non-cricketing reasons.
“Umar has always put the cause of the team ahead of any personal comfort. If there were any [disciplinary] issues then coach and team management need to guide youngsters and help them understand that they have done something wrong.
“Discarding them like is not a smart option and it does not reflect well on part of the team management. Good teams can only be built by managing players properly,” the 33-year-old axed Kamran said in an interview to PakPassion.
“Umar needs to be stopped being used as a sacrificial goat.”
“To his [Umar’s] credit, he has willingly compromised for the sake of the team without any complaints. This is not how good players are made. On the contrary, this is how you destroy good players.”
Kamran added that if Umar had done something wrong then he should be taken to task “as there should be no two ways when it comes to discipline.”
“From what I understand, it's not just him as even Mohammad Hafeez and Ahmed Shehzad's names were supposedly mentioned in the team management's report as well.
“Regardless of the offence, such stern punishment should not have been meted out to these players as this can seriously mess them up,” he said.
Kamran, who last featured for Pakistan in a Test in 2010, believed the team management should have played Sarfraz Ahmed throughout the World Cup and in this way the 24-year-old Umar would have concentrated more on his batting.
“In the past, Umar was encouraged to do well. Now it seems that whenever there is experimentation required with the line-up, he is used as a sacrificial goat by shifting him up or down the order or even discarded as pleased by the management,” the 33-year-old said.
Kamran said with veterans Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi and Younis Khan approaching the end of their careers, the team management should have encouraged Umar to take a senior’s role.
“With the grace of God, he will have at least 10 to 15 years of international cricket ahead of him and I am sure he will do his best and make a comeback in the team. I have no doubt about his talent.
“What the management needs to do now is to make sure that they don't destroy his confidence and treat him properly so that he can serve the country to the best of his ability for many years to come,” Kamran said.
Pakistan will begin its series against Bangladesh with the first of three one-day internationals on April 17.
The two teams will also play a Twenty20 and two Tests.
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Comments (150) Closed
Apr 08, 2015 07:09pm
Umer Akmal is very talented batsman being wasted by i dont know who, he is a batsman who sould be sent at number 3 or 4, not at 6 where you want him to play afridi type innings, management should encourage him and send him at no. 3 or 4 and give him a free hand
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Apr 08, 2015 07:12pm
I agree with Kamran Akmal. Maybe the problem lies in the coach. Why did they give him the job of wicket keeping instead of batting only and should have chosen Sarfraz Ahmed as a wicket keeper. It was like setting him up for failure.
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Apr 08, 2015 07:15pm
He is really talented cricketer. He needs some support to bring continuity in his performance. We should not waste our talents
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Apr 08, 2015 07:18pm
He didn't perform. Period. Please stop making a fuss about it. This is a difference between sides like Australia and South africa where the players are sent to domestic cricket if they don't perform and everything works out fine.
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Apr 08, 2015 07:18pm
Funny and annoying..For some reason this reminds me of the parents that their kid is perfect and everything that is wrong with him is not his fault but the people around him...Kamran thinks that his brother deserves a permanent place with an average of 27 and attitude like 5 years old..We saw how much a team-man he was after his elder brother gifted the Sydney test. Kamran thinks we should listen to "Umar Akmal is very talented" mantra for another 15 years without actually seeing the talent..And that we should keep watching during every match Umar pretending to be sad after getting out to a complete brainless short...Any one who doesn't realize what an honor it is to represent your country should not the represent the country. Period.
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Apr 08, 2015 07:19pm
He has been given chances time and time again and has failed.
Unfortunately he doesn't have the talent.
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Apr 08, 2015 07:19pm
God Forbid, if he stays with the team for 10 more years..
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Apr 08, 2015 07:21pm
Changing batting order is what makes your brother sacrificial goat???
And you are saying he should be given the senior role after Misbah-Afridi.... has he shown any maturity in any of the game??? I have always seen him slogging too early in his inning and throwing away his wicket (immaturity).
And as far as discipline is considered, then I am sure kicking out such arrogant players is the only solution to bring them back on their track. They should know that it is their performance, consistency and discipline which will allow them to represent Pakistan on continuous basis. Take it as a part of his learning Kamran Akmal !
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Apr 08, 2015 07:21pm
For the Akmal brothers, the agony they caused by dropping hundreds of catches is enough to keep them away from the national team.
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Apr 08, 2015 07:22pm
No more Akmals please. These guys drive BMW without giving any performance on cricketing ground.
There are plenty of talented players waiting for their call. They are more deserving of chances to play for their nation.
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Apr 08, 2015 07:23pm
What talent? We have been hearing that for the last several years. How good is the hidden talent that never surfaces when needed? I think the decision to sideline him for now is a good one but there should be no hurry to bring in back in the folds too quickly. There are plenty of other talented batters that need to be given a chance.
Time to get someone from the Indian side? They are good in hitting.
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Apr 08, 2015 07:23pm
Perform on regular basis, then you don't have to worry about being dropped. If you just playing to make money, but not to represent your country. Then we don't need players Umar Akmal. He does have a lot of talent but he needs to show it in the international level, not only on flat pitches like in Dubai, Pakistan.
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Apr 08, 2015 07:30pm
Actually the shifty character and reputation of Kamran has more to do with Umar’s downfall than the selectors. Umar may be an average performer but it is his attitude and senseless throwing of wicket and carelessness that has cost him his position. Umar may be young but he has been given more chances and played more matches than most except a few seniors.
Not long ago Umar was sent back from WI for mental health issues. A simple look at him and his career and methods of getting out would tell the whole story. Team needs dependable team players not individuals with bigger egos than the game. Why the whole world loves and respects Amla, Sanga and likes? How long would Akmal remain a kid, all his life like Afridi?
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Apr 08, 2015 07:31pm
In the very first test series (in NZ, 3 match) his average was 63! and in the very first one day series(SL, 4 match) his average was 64!
Now he is nothing! Big thanks to PCB.
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Apr 08, 2015 07:32pm
Seriously, please don't use the word talent anymore. Everyone has talent but what you do with that "talent" matters. He has been given many chances but unfortunately not good enough for international standards. Secondly, if you want to talk about talent please look at the averages and compare him to Fawad Alam, Hammad Azam, or any other deserving players. You are speaking as an older brother and we understand your frustration but have you even considered feelings of millions more?
Wasim Akram was talented and he proved.
Inzamam was talented and he proved.
Many more but Umar akmal is talented no doubt but he needs to rethink that Pakistan comes first !
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Apr 08, 2015 07:33pm
Dear Kamran Akmal, if your younger bro Umar was insubordinate and disrespectful to any of the coaches, he should be held accountable for his bad attitude. Umar is 24 years old, he is playing international cricket with the big boys, so he needs to grow up and you shouldn't be making excuses if his behavior is like that of a four-year old!
Besides, in today's competitive cricket if you note both the Aussie and New Zealand captain's press conferences, they both said in order to be chosen for their teams a player must be well grounded, emotionally mature, positive and responsible. All this plus he must show RESULTS and his stats should reflect this. So please don't leave behavior issues or even performance up to others, you as a cricketer yourself should also invest in your brother and help him improve himself on all levels including attitude.
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Apr 08, 2015 07:34pm
he is right this kid should be given more chances he got potential and is much better than few in the team
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Apr 08, 2015 07:37pm
I agree umar akmal is the good player and management some time take the work of wicket keeper and some time other. i advice umar and team managment to dont do the politics keep eye on the game thanks
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Apr 08, 2015 07:38pm
The Akmals will never do justice to their talents.
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Apr 08, 2015 07:47pm
Look if you are good then you can perform at any position and work your way up. Playing with older ball is actually easy but it also means handle high pressure situations with more maturity. This is where Akmal totally failed - by now he should have become a regular pillar of the team but unfortunately his shot selection does not reflect either maturity or sense of leadership.
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Apr 08, 2015 07:50pm
"“In the past, Umar was encouraged to do well. Now it seems that whenever there is experimentation required with the line-up, he is used as a sacrificial goat by shifting him up or down the order or even discarded as pleased by the management,” the 33-year-old said."
So when Akmal is not promoted up the order, they start cryign that he is not given enough chances and not even overs to prove his ability. When the chance is given, he fails miserably. Such double standards.
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Apr 08, 2015 07:51pm
Dropping is not new to Akmal brothers, two brothers are notorious in dropping catches BUT PCB management can not drop them?
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Apr 08, 2015 07:51pm
Stern punishment can have negative influence on the player? Wonderful. If picking fights with coaching staff, not performing, dropping catches, playing without brains isn't enough to get someone axed for one tour then perhaps we should bring all the others who've been dropped back as well. A team of 200 players sounds more promising.
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Apr 08, 2015 07:52pm
They are talented but, their talents are overshadowed by their lack of respect for rules.
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Apr 08, 2015 07:55pm
Umar is a much better player than Kamran but both of these players are not suitable for international ciricket. May be he's good for domestic first class but in order to serve in Internationa and represent the country, these folks are not there yet.
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Apr 08, 2015 07:58pm
Umar Akmal is too big for his shoes.
He has been given more chances than any youngster.
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Apr 08, 2015 07:59pm
Enough is Enough. Try your luck somewhere else like UAE or Afghanistan, maybe your talents are encouraged there and you get a chance to play in their national side, but keep in mind that you will have to work for at least eight hours everyday before going to the nets for practice.
ABSOLUTELY NO FREEBIES
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Apr 08, 2015 08:07pm
he played 107 odi and made only 2 tons not an odi player
better to use him only in t20
no doubt he is the best fielder off course not behind the stamps
and in present team he is top of the list as fielder
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Apr 08, 2015 08:07pm
Talent only gives you easy path to get to the elite group of players.
To retain your position Umar had to listen to senior players and change his game to the situation. He is in the team for five years and still cannot be relied on. Just see what he did in World Cup matches. We need reliability more than talent and players like Harris and Fawad Alam needs to be in the team.
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Apr 08, 2015 08:13pm
It is true that he is the most talented player of our team but his actions sometimes shows that he plays for himself only and it is true also that making him a regular keeper was disastrous for him and the management is responsible for that. He should have been selected for at least one of the formats even as a good fielder in the coming series.
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Apr 08, 2015 08:14pm
Kamran Akmal should not start issuing statements like our politicians. Can he elaborate what was Umer Akmal performance during World Cup matches? Instead of issuing such statements, Umer Akmal needs to improve and show good performance in future - say, domestic matches and prove his worth for the cricket team. Then he has all the right to get selected by the Selection Committee.
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Apr 08, 2015 08:14pm
Score big hundreds in domestic and comeback. If talented should not be a big problem. Couple of seasons out may fix his brain. He should learn to value his wicket
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Apr 08, 2015 08:17pm
Akmal brothers might have talent, but they are not mentally tough enough for the game.
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Apr 08, 2015 08:19pm
He has been taken to task as big bro advises.....he has been axed from national team. He should show in first class cricket that he is very good and capable of making it to the national team again. That is what happens world over after players fail to meet the targets. Just because he was in the national side does not mean that he can never be dropped even for poor performance. He needs to actually work hard and prove himself rather than send bhaiyaa for support.
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Apr 08, 2015 08:25pm
I agree Umar has been enough chances, and infact he is blocking another youngster from coming into the team. He should become serious and play proper cricket first at national level before entering International Cricket. Also there is a possibility he is not for big cricket, as he does not seem to handle himself when required in important and crucial matches.
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Apr 08, 2015 08:27pm
I agree this guy is full of talent...But What Pakistan Cricket is getting out of this talent?
Improve your attitude, Perform well in domestic and then come back...
You cannot be in a national team only on the basis of "Talent" Performance does matter and it is a fact that yo have not performed since ages.....
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Apr 08, 2015 08:30pm
Totally agree. As much as I don't have faith in his keeping ability, I think Kamran has hit it on the spot. Umar is a very athletic fielder and a good batsman, who needs to be groomed. Man management is not Waqar Younis's job, that is the captains responsibility.
Misbah may have been lucky with his mediocre approach, but that does not mean every other player who does not play his type of cricket should be bull dozed. Its pathetic that they have removed Shehzad from ODI side, that is completely outrageous.
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Apr 08, 2015 08:31pm
You cant block a place in the playing XI only because you are talented. You need to perform period..... This is modern cricket and you need to learn fast
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Apr 08, 2015 08:41pm
Wow! I never thought I'd say this but I endorse Kamran's opinion. Imagine being identified as a talent the world over and coming in to bat after your captain at the other end has consumed 150 or so dot balls. You're not expected to play like his 'tuk tuk'. You're required to hit out and lose your wicket in the process.
And then you get dropped because you didn't perform...hmmmm...
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Apr 08, 2015 08:43pm
Dear Kamran Akmal, the answer is simple to your criticism. We are all looking for performance, prove your talent through record. Umer is definitely a good player but his record has been less then expectations. He must change his mind set according the game he is playing. You can not play T20 type of game in ODI or Test cricket.
Good professionals learn all their lives. Nothing wrong with getting dropped at this time , I am sure he can use this time to fix the errors through hard work and prove himself in future. I was really impressed by Sarfaraz, I won't mind taking lead from him.
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Apr 08, 2015 08:47pm
All these Akmals, Butts and Jamsheds should be booted out permanently. We do not have lack of talent in Pakistan. Let us not be racist and biased in selection, not only in Cricket but across the board.
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Apr 08, 2015 08:51pm
For crying out loud they have dropped him for poor performance. If anything they are trying to save his career rather than prematurely end it. He needs to work on his temperament and really needs to know how to build a long innings.
Also his interviews are hilarious. He really needs media coaching....or even go back to basics only speak in Urdu and less said the better.
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Apr 08, 2015 08:52pm
indeed he is gifted. but he failed to utilized his talent on international level. for me he is like shahid afridi who click once in a blue moon.
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Apr 08, 2015 09:05pm
How many more chances does Umar Akmal need to prove his worth. I just cant remember when was the last time he scored a century. He was compared with Virat Kohli during his initial days. At this point, people will scoff at the comparison. He can't be in the Pakistan team with once in a blue moon fifty. I wonder how many teams in the world will pick him in their national side with scores of just 20s and 30s (I guess not the top 3).
I may agree to the point that he may not have been managed well, but even then he needs to realize that he has been given too many chances. It will be unfair to make the other talented cricketers wait to make way into the national side, just because of supposedly talented Umar Akmal, who still thinks needs more time to prove his worth.
Go Akmals go, prove your mettle in the domestic cricket before being in a queue for the national side.
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Apr 08, 2015 09:07pm
Thanks for you advice, I also think that Umer Akmal should play but then he has to work on his form. He is out of form now, he should play more of first class cricket at domestic level.
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Apr 08, 2015 09:14pm
My only comment is if not umar akmal then why Maqsood
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Apr 08, 2015 09:15pm
Sarfraz had century against Ireland and ten against Australia; this means an average of 60 in two one days. That is an excellent average to debate on social media. In the same way the average of Fawad Alam is mentioned again and again. We will be closely monitoring how many matches Fawad win for Pakistan and how many centuries he score batting after Misbah. Scoring twenty singles of twenty balls without getting out is not going to count. If your team loses the match your individual performance or average doesn't count in one day.
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Apr 08, 2015 09:15pm
Elder Akmal did not drop this. he is right about the management of players or lack of it. Waqar wants to be a ring master. He needs a course in professional players pshicology. Looks like Misbah is also under his spell. If these players were dropped because of the indiscipline then the mangment have to spell it out rather than just dropping them. This is so eighties style of management.
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Apr 08, 2015 09:19pm
How many more chances does he need, he will be 40 years old and we will still read, this boy has talent, just needs to show it. In this Pak cricket Era, no other player has been given more chances then Umar A. If there is anyone to blame for his omission, and not having a great cricket legacy, its umar himself. Sorry, but enough is enough, time to groom Babar Azam, Sami Aslam and Harris Sohail.
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Apr 08, 2015 09:20pm
Misbah is a defensive captain and a defensive player. He cannot play one down because the ball seams and he cannot play down the order because he needs dot balls to get adjusted; so put Haris Sohail as one down (selected for third down position) and bring Umar Akmal down the order because he doesn't have trust on Afridi. Such a defensive strategy.
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Apr 08, 2015 09:21pm
There is no doubt UMAR AKMAL is a very talented batsman but unfortunately he has let himself and the country down. He has played over 100 ODIs and his record in comparison to other youngsters of his age group is poor, most of them have even played less ODIs than him. I am talking about such players as Steven Smith (Australia), Virat Kohli (India), Rohit Sharma (India), Joe Root (England), Kane Williamson (Newzealand) and de Kock (South Africa). It is time we all stop making excuses for Umar Akmal and instead tell him to get his head down and start producing. He has the ability to be as GREAT as other players mentioned but it is up to him to put himself and Pakistan on the map. Even Shehzad's record is better than Umar akmal in the short time he has represented Pakistan.
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Apr 08, 2015 09:31pm
Umar needs to review his game. Problem with a lot our society the lack of education means there is little introspection. Imran K our greatest cricketer especially when it comes to maximizing his talent - changing his bowling action all came to self analysis and motivation.
Umar is the modern face of Pak cricket, play the "hero shot or inns" for dramatic effect. Miandad grounded out his inns and the opposition towards victory. For me it was a good decision to jolt Umar and Shehzad.
Personally, i would have done the same with Maqsood - he's got a flaw against the short ball or pressure.....either way he also played irresponsibly. We need players who can battle and have game intelligence....batting wise this comes best from Karachi - as they seem to be cooler in pressured conditions. Sarfraz and Fawad can really proof that for us.
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Apr 08, 2015 09:38pm
Time to get rid of Akmal family !!
Pakistan has already sacrificed lot of matches and after playing so much n hardly won many matches for pakistan....its time to say Good bye to 3 brothers.....
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Apr 08, 2015 09:38pm
no compromise on discipline. he shall remain out until provide apology on his behaviour.
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Apr 08, 2015 09:45pm
I like this new tit for tat policy
drop = drop
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Apr 08, 2015 09:49pm
Umar tried his best to destroy the career of Sarfraz. He thought by doing well as wicketkeeper he will prolong his active career.
Don't do bad for your team mates. Kudos to the management not selecting Umar.
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Apr 08, 2015 09:49pm
Thank God he is out. Talent and performance go together. When you fail to become an important piece of a puzzle then you are out.
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Apr 08, 2015 09:51pm
@Pakistani by Heart pls think again, he has failed repeatedly in the last 5 or 6 years of his career. Better to give place someone else.
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Apr 08, 2015 09:56pm
the only thing i agree with this is that he is no doubt the most talented batsman in Pakistan right now. He has all the shots in the book. He is fearless, fit, and good fielder. He had been used as a finisher throught out his career which was wrong. More often than not he ended up partnering with Misbah which is exactly opposite of him in batting style. Umer should have batted up the order to judge his real talent. Now as fas as discipline is concerned, then he is not a baby that he does not know. He is old enough to realize what is right and what is wrong. Even Aamir who was much younger paid his dues for wronging the game.
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Apr 08, 2015 09:58pm
No mate let's give Babam Azaam and Mohammad Rizwan and check there talent.I am sure they will score more than 1 century in 100 matches .So no harm in exploring same.They have been dropped because of there attitude and approach to the game.They were root cause of Pakistan batting failure.No explanation needed.Sorry!
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Apr 08, 2015 10:00pm
@mantharia If is he has talent only to score 20 in modern day cricket,then he is outdated talent or has no talent at all.Where does he stand with Maxwell,Steve Smith,Faulkner.He should have retired by now because he was becoming eye sore for fans of Pakistan team.
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Apr 08, 2015 10:00pm
all brothers usless and sold easyly specially against India, chec track record, they can lose for Pakistan a nearly won match
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Apr 08, 2015 10:04pm
@khan because has been given more chances.
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Apr 08, 2015 10:07pm
@Pakistani by Heart what is talent means???
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Apr 08, 2015 10:15pm
Kamran akmal and umar akmal are corrupt cricketers who sell the country for money...they have made huge properties by indulgence with bookies...they should be banned from Pakistan cricket
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Apr 08, 2015 10:19pm
Please oh please do not take him back on the team! Have you ever heard of a wicket keeper dropping catches?? He's a useless player!
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Apr 08, 2015 10:24pm
Does he have a confidence tell me one time when he batted responsibly?
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Apr 08, 2015 10:29pm
He should be showcased in the museum of talent with people buying tickets to see the overflowing talent. It cannot be seen on cricket field.
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Apr 08, 2015 10:35pm
talent is of no use if it is not used appropriately. Umar has failed so many times that watching him bat and generally see pakistani batsmen bat is a torture most of the times. Pakistan batsmen first need to learn how to build an inning. Now that Misbah is no longer in the team I don't know who will take the score even to a hundred.
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Apr 08, 2015 10:40pm
Dear kamran what talent are you talking about. We have been observing him in international cricket for the last 6 years but we are yet to see his talent.
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Apr 08, 2015 10:43pm
He has an attitude problem, he is being disciplined for that. He has answers for everything, thinks he can refuse coaching, and performs negatively if another player tells him off.
A very unprofessional 'talent'.
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Apr 08, 2015 10:47pm
please do not blame team management here. The management tried to suppress Sarfaraz A. but he showed guts and put in a solid performance. Umar Akmal has had numerous chances to step up, he has simply failed!
The team is better without him. If he wants to prove himself then he needs to step up his game!
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Apr 08, 2015 10:53pm
He is a talented player,but his perfomance in the world cup speaks for itself. Those who dont perform should be sidelined.
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Apr 08, 2015 10:56pm
There is no pointy in complaining. One can understand the elder brother coming to the younger brother support. Umer Akmal did not perform well at all. At one of the occasions after the match was over and while Umer was waling towards the pavilion, Umer was clearly heard asking one of the match oficials and I quote "who is the man of the match...hello who is the man of the match". Umer was more interested in becoming man of the match. If this is your attitude toward cricket game, then you do not belong to this game.
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Apr 08, 2015 10:58pm
@confused engineer
actually Umar Akmal is one of the better fielders in our side when he is not keeping.he should be played like a batsman only so that he can concentrate more on his batting. If he follows in his usual rash stroke making then discard him for good.
I blame the so called coaches of the team.Why can't our team rotate strike.Why are we so miserable in taking singles and placing balls in gaps.Why are we blocking 5 balls and frustratingly hitting sixth and taking undue risks. Before we blame players and lack of talent,lets hold others accountable too.
These coaches should not get off so easily.
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Apr 08, 2015 11:04pm
Stupidity and Talented DO NOT GO TOGETHER. Umar Akmal has a lot of talent but no brain. He keeps making the same mistake over and over again. If he and Shahid Afridi had ever learned to play proper ground shots, they would have done wonders for themselves and the team.
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Apr 08, 2015 11:05pm
Fawad Alam belongs in Pakistan Team. He is a Dravid like player and if not abused by the management, can be a solid middle order batsman.
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Apr 08, 2015 11:25pm
Look who is defending whom
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Apr 08, 2015 11:29pm
Totally true. The management is too much ego centered. Waqar has tried to lay off all the good players, be he be Yousef, razzaq, Afridi or Umar. Abdul Razzaq was only 33 when he was discarded by Waqar. The management needs to learn about managing players. The second reason for his sacking is being given as his low performance in the world cup, which will be a really pathetic reason in all comparisons. Pakistan's greats betsmen, Inzi, Yousef and Younis have all faced difficulty in scoring in Australia. They all failed time and again but we never discarded them then why Umar Akmal. On the general, he has an everage of 35 which is considere a success in ODIs and is better than most in this team. His Strike rate is best among all batsmen and he is one of the best fielders. Strange that we are happy with inclusion of Asad Shafiq who averages 24 but not Umar Akmal who has THE BEST average among all Pak batsmen post Misbah. And he could be much better if not made to score at 8 per over.
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Apr 08, 2015 11:36pm
I am/have been strongly in favor of this rare God gifted talented young leg in Pakistani team, in spite of being an ardent fan of Aussies since over decade. Just he needs to be guided & directed properly by a good coach like Javed, Inzmam & Yousuf apart from any politics what PCB & Pakistani government managements want terribly!
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Apr 08, 2015 11:39pm
@Canada It's pretty easy to criticize on anyone but hard to give a solution. If anyone is in illusion about his talent than must compare his record with any other Pakistani player other than him, but impartially!
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Apr 08, 2015 11:41pm
@to most comments against Umar. (1) How can you people say he has been given many chances but he never performed while he has THE BEST average among all remaining batsmen after Misbah, has the best strike rate among all batsmen and is one of the best fielders. (2) If he dropped a catch while wicketkeeping, he is not a keeper, doesn't ask to be played as wicketkeeper. Its the management who uses a make-shift not Umar's fault. (3) How is Asad Shafiq who is selected instead of Umar, with an average of 24 better than Umar's 35 (and ofcourse double as much strike rate). (4) And to those who give examples of Australia where non-performers are sent to play domestic - Australia has players in reserve. But if you want to do that anyway then send all 6 batsmen to domestic as all of them have lesser averages than Umar. And yes one must participate in the discussion with facts and figures.
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Apr 08, 2015 11:52pm
I support Kamran Akmal. No one is looking at the performance of the coach and captain who just simply blamed others for their failures. Darren Lehmann and Michael were the best caach and captain of all the WC teams. Lehmann studied the batting style of all the Pakistani batsmen and their weaknesses. Lehmann placed a man close to the ropes on the onside and prompted the Pakisrtani batsmen to hit against the strong wind which was flowing from north to south. Three batsmen Misbah, Umar Akmal and Shahid Afridi were caught on the same position aginst the slow spin bowlers who bowled according to plan.
Moreover when Wahab Riaz was unplayable in his 3rd and 4th over the ball hitting the bat were falling in vacant places on the offside and onside because of the defensive field placing. If Imran Khan or Michael Clarke were the captain Australians would not have crossed 100 runs. Add to that the poor tour selection committee.
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Apr 08, 2015 11:53pm
Whatever talent he has, is offset by his lack of intelligence; Something that he has repeatedly proven with his gifting of catches to fielders he knows are there for the exact shot he is playing, rash strokes, not rising to the occasion or just plain bad judgment . Net result, a FAT zero. He is not worth the investment for Pakistan cricket IMHO.
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Apr 09, 2015 12:00am
@Sadiq Amin. It's better if you prove it with statistics. Just look at his dismissals in this World Cup.
v India (dismissed in 25th over, RR was around 5).
v West Indies (dismissed in 32nd over).
v Zimbabwe (dismissed in 34th over, RR was around 4).
v South Africa (dismissed in 37th over, RR was 4.8).
v Australia (dismissed in 30th over, RR was 4.4).
So please don't give the argument that he had to swing his bat because of the scorecard pressure. Neither was the run-rate too low at the time of his dismissals, nor were they close to the allocated 50 0vers. He threw away his wicket every time the team was looking forward for him to score.
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Apr 09, 2015 12:05am
Talent is useless if it doesn't produce results. It can be said that the measure of talent is to shine if given the opportunity. This is not the case given multiple chances.
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Apr 09, 2015 12:14am
Strange!
Highest batting average 35, among all batsmen after Misbah's retirement
Highest strike rate among all batsmen (Afridi not considered a pure batsman)
One of the best fielders.
Every one wanted him to be played at 4 so he can learn to build an innings. But he always came after tuk tuk of 20 overs and is mostly asked/expected to score at 8 an over.
And yet
We are happy with Asad Shafiq with an average of 24 ...... Probabely we don't deserve a better team when the fans are so ignorant
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Apr 09, 2015 12:23am
@Junaid , why his record is less then expected. Don't forget that his record should be compared to other available Pakistani players and not Kohli or Steve Smith. Is his average lesser than Maqsood (33), Asad Shafiq (24) , Ahmad Shehzad (24), Sarfraz (28) , Younis? No ofcourse not. All of them have played more than 35 matches.
Is his strike rate worse than these players? No ofcourse not.
Is he a lesser fielder than these players? No ofcourse not.
Please keep your expectation in comparison to players available in Pakistan.
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Apr 09, 2015 12:28am
Mr. Kamran Akmal, No doubt he is one of the best ODI player in Pakistan by his talent and by his numbers too BUT please ask him to learn not playing flashy cut shots and avoid airy pull and other shots. He needs to be selfish and should play only rolling shots while building his innings. If Misbah, Fawad and Younis can take a lot of balls to build their innings and people like them then why umar doesn't do that and should not think of scoring 8 per over. He needs to score hundreds and let the others do the dirty work.
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Apr 09, 2015 12:30am
Today's cricket demands multitalented player. Umar didn't batt well. Additinally, his dropped catches directly contributed to defeat against India. It's better for him to stay outside and gain his confidence. Once he's up to the task, he's gotta prove his space in the team else make room for other talented players.
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Apr 09, 2015 01:09am
That's the problem with our people. We only think about ourselves and don't see the big picture, which is playing for the country. He was given 6 years to prove his worth and he is not worth it.
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Apr 09, 2015 01:11am
This guy has not learned from his mistakes and if you only have one person on mid-on, he will play the shot straight down his throght. The most untalented player we have in our team!
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Apr 09, 2015 01:21am
talent "shows" when someone is given an opportunity and a good player proves himself that he is reliable. He played 111 ODIs and so -called "talent" was still not shown.
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Apr 09, 2015 01:48am
Umar Akmal should correct his basic cricketing techniques and try not to repeat basic errors again and again and he will be back in Pak team.
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Apr 09, 2015 02:22am
@Pakistani by Heart. How does one know he has talent if he doesn't perform?
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Apr 09, 2015 02:43am
@Sadiq Amin--- agreed. Most of the youngsters have the same issue. Misbah! He blocked and blocked and blocked , consumed deliveries and not rotate -- the other batsman has no option but to try hitting boundaries and during the process getting out .
Misbah on the other hand takes credit for scoring 50-60 odd in 100 some deliveries. Sounds selfish ?
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Apr 09, 2015 02:58am
@mantharia i think he had enough of then, giving him more chances will mean depriving some other deserving kid a chance, new faces are needed now, and i thing we have enough of him
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Apr 09, 2015 03:05am
When is he going to show his talent. He is not a yongster in the team anymore. How long the nation has to wait to see a performance from Umar Akmal.
Absolutely correct decision. This should have been done long time ago. Fix your attitude then dream of coming back in to the team.
Always remember " Sab Se Pehle Pakistan "
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Apr 09, 2015 03:10am
sure if he is that talented then he must prove his worth in the domestic circuit and must come back upon merit. if anything, akmals need to determine the order of players they are... you cannot be everything to be in the team, you need to be something to be selected upon. mediocre in every component of the game makes them a mediocre player overall
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Apr 09, 2015 03:20am
What else can he say?
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Apr 09, 2015 03:43am
PCB is playing its natural game with the Akmals.
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Apr 09, 2015 03:48am
Umar Akmal is very "talented', we have been listening t this mantra for years now. BUT if his talent is NOT working then simply he is NOT talented enough to compete at World stage. Simple. If could not learned from that many years and keep doing the same mistake time and again! Period. We are done with you.
Let's invest in other young and "real" talented player now and keep focus on next ICC WC.
Excellent decision by PCB.
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Apr 09, 2015 04:15am
He was playing at the highest level and should have known better. There is an abundance of "talented" players awaiting their chance at the highest level. Either live up to the expectations or be left out. And that is what has happened. Kamran bhai, ask your brother to mend his ways and his game and who knows, he may be back...
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Apr 09, 2015 04:21am
If maturity and dependability is the criteria, then Ahmed Shehzad, Harris Sohail, Shoaib Maqsood, Shahid Afridi, and even Misbah played reckless shots to get out, in the QF. The only difference is that Umer has received numerous opportunities. A little time in domestic should do him good. My bigger disappointment was with the team selection for the cup and the questionable lineup for the games. Unfortunately no one has been held accountable for that debacle.
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Apr 09, 2015 04:31am
Kamran we are happy off with any Akmal in team...
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Apr 09, 2015 04:33am
@shak They have enough talent for dropping catches, no one can match that :)
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Apr 09, 2015 04:35am
Where is this talent that umar akmal possess he does not bring it on the pitch .has he not been give ample opportunities
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Apr 09, 2015 04:48am
Kamran must be worried man. Who in the family would fix the matches now? Even more worried would be the match fixers. And the most worried would be the batsmen all around the world thinking who would drop the catches now.
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Apr 09, 2015 04:57am
"he has 10-15yrs of more cricket for pakistan"....please noooooo....if he was so talented he wouldn't have wasted sooooo many chances..a talented player regardless of the position he is played at will make his mark...he is just like imran nazir!
George Bailey of aus, a vice captain, made 50 in his last odi before being dropped for clarke. did his family or friends make fuss?? and yes he is much more talented than the Kmaran family put together..sorry harsh but true.
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Apr 09, 2015 05:55am
CAN SOME ONE EXPLAIN: what do you mean by performance. Do you measure it in comparison with worlds best or with all others who are available in Pakistan. I mean, when Umar's average and strike rate, both are better than Shehzad, Mqsood, Sarfraz, Younis, hafeez and Asad shafiq then how is he not performing. Does that mean, all of them are not performing and should be fired too before firing Umar? I am at unease to read the comments. Can't actually understand that people are happy that Asad Shafiq (averaging 24) is replacing Umar Akmal (averaging 35).
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Apr 09, 2015 06:00am
We need good batsmen with discipline and maturity. Hitting out of the park is important but what's the point of trying to hit out and the team bundles out for 200 odd runs in 38 overs? Batting in Adelaide (vs Aus) was pathetic, Misbah, Afridi, U Akmal and Sohaib Maqsood should be grilled for their shot selection - trying to hit over the small square boundary and picking the lone fielder in the deep.
I think its high time we invest into a Batting Academy on similar format as India's Bowling Academy that has produced sensible bowlers like Sharmas and Shamis. Our batsmen not only need to learn their limits but also need to learn to play according to the match situation. There is no right approach to win a game (Misbah's tuk tuk approach or Afridi's agressive approach) - its playing according to conditions and match situation.
Coming back to U Akmal: he needs to be in rehab before he can be considered again to represent the country and given a chance to prove his much talked about talent.
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Apr 09, 2015 06:08am
He is talented BUT not hard working. Pakistan needs hard work players, period.
And his disciplinary record is known to all, since the time he faked his injury under Mohammad Yousuf's captaincy to get his brother playing.
True, that Ahmed Shahzad along with Umar Akmal should have been purged from all 3 formats.
And whats wrong with shifting numbers in the batting. Not like he was shifted from no.6 and sent to open the batting.
The coach along with the players should be sacked as well. Waqar has nothing good to offer.
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Apr 09, 2015 06:14am
He is Just Domestic player nothing else
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Apr 09, 2015 06:20am
When players like Suresh Raina and Marlon Samuels are respected as good performers then why Umar ikke not considered as such even with the same batting average.
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Apr 09, 2015 06:28am
umar has good hand bat movement and technique but unfortunately low cricketing IQ. He got out 10 out of 12 times with exactly same mistake (pulling cross bat midwicket /mid on area and caught in deep boundary).
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Apr 09, 2015 06:52am
@gul : Please avoid from accusing someone falsely. I am sure you have no confirmed knowledge of any corruption on their part. This is just your guess.
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Apr 09, 2015 07:20am
I am sorry talent alone is not enough for success in cricket or for that matter any field in life. You need discipline, hard work, honesty of purpose, dedication, a will to succeed and single- mindedness to move forwards and unfortunately Umar Akmal has shown none. This man has his chances so many times and enough is enough. He might have talent but he will never become a great player
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Apr 09, 2015 07:40am
@Umer Who performed? Misbah and Sarfraz, yes; but who else? Let's put a period where it is due. I have no problem if Umar Akmal is dropped, but them so would have been many others.
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Apr 09, 2015 08:12am
No Akmals in Pakistan Team - that's the dream!
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Apr 09, 2015 08:49am
Any batsman who looks to be getting out on every single delivery is NOT a talented batsman in my opinion.
When U Akmal is batting, I prefer to be checking the score on my mobile to see if he got out already after scoring a quick fire 8! There is not much exciting about his batting that I would marvel and would want to watch his innings - and please he is no where close Virat Kholi! Ahmed Shahzad probably try to disguise himself as one in terms of looks but again nowhere close in terms of batting talent.
These so called youngsters have been impatient enough to throw away their wickets and now the nation doesn't have enough patience to see them fail again.
And Kamran Akmal: you are the last person who could expect us to be sympathetic after being pathetic for years!
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Apr 09, 2015 08:59am
@Sarah You are right on. Make more sense than Rameez :)
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Apr 09, 2015 09:09am
I see players like Smith and get sad watching our "Talent" bat. How many more matches till we see the Umar's real talent? Good player can play at any position and will show some sort of performance. It seems like our players are born to be played at one position. Dhoni can probably come at any position from 3-7.. and still score a good 30 or 40.. same with Watson. Kamran is not a credible source to make any arguments like that anyway. Our players are showing the world that this is the best talent we have :( Embarrassing!
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Apr 09, 2015 09:11am
Off course, he is much better than Kamran at dropping catches
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Apr 09, 2015 09:11am
Finally PCB has shown some talent!
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Apr 09, 2015 09:13am
Maybe he has some other talents he should explore.. I don't think they are in cricket.
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Apr 09, 2015 09:15am
These Are Lame Excuses, Dozens Of Talents Guys Are Stand in The Replacement Row then No need To Warn again n again to a Undisciplined person..He is not a kid that team management teach him that what is discipline...Well Decision By Team Management..
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Apr 09, 2015 09:30am
Holing out to a fielder can't be lack of form but he needs to work on building his innings and concentration.
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Apr 09, 2015 09:54am
Umar Akmal = New version of Shahid Afridi
Waste of talent !!
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Apr 09, 2015 09:55am
umar akmal = new version of shahid afridi
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Apr 09, 2015 09:55am
Kamran Akmal career was also spoiled for some personal grudges and in the same way the career of Umar Akmal is also at stake. Cricket is their family game and all the three brothers are talented. When you have the talent you would not have to praise the management for selection and to prove with your game. Umar Akmal is the player who really play positive cricket which lacks in most of our team mates.But this quality is being considered as discrepancy.I do not think that the team selected for Bangladesh will perform well and as our past record is, we will again select Umar Akmal and Ahmad Shehzad. Waqar Younis is the main person involved in destruction of our team.
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Apr 09, 2015 10:19am
He is good batsman but need some help on how to stay focused. May be hire Dravid to work with Ahmed Shazad, Soyab and Umer to give them training on staying focused and tricks on playing long innings.
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Apr 09, 2015 10:20am
@Sadiq Amin
You couldn't have said it better! Poor Umar & Afridi at the positions they bat have no choice but to play aggressive. The TUK - TUK has destroyed the aggressive batting spirit in the team. In my opinion Umar Akmal is a great candidate for ODI captain and down the road for T20 as well when Afridi steps down...
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Apr 09, 2015 10:29am
In all honesty I see Umar Akmal future captian of Pakistan Cricket Team for 2019 World Cup. He has the mettle to lead Pakistan bravely. He is the only batsman, above Misbah, Ahmad Shahzad, Younis Khan and even Afridi that is so pleasing to watch play shots. And it will come with time. He is only 24. Wait till he is 26 or even 27 then from there he will do good.
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Apr 09, 2015 10:52am
I want to ask the selectors who among your recent batsmen has better batting average and strike rate than him ? If not why he is outside of the team ? Is it anything related to attitude and discipline ? But thats the part where you need to be innovative. Punishment / Criticism are very old tool to bring out the best in talented human beings. Pakistani selectors needs to go through the story of Ponting and Australia and take lessons from there. Why Umar Akmal instead of being the best batsmen after Inzamam Yousuf, Younis era still comes at no 6 ? Is Hafeez , Shehzad , Safiq , Azhar , Harris Sohail, Nasir Jamshed and so many falana dimkana (
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Apr 09, 2015 10:58am
For Pakistan cricket to prosper, Kamran Akmal must be kept out of the team forever and Umar Akmal needs to play domestic cricket and work on the basics first for at least one year before getting back to the national team.
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Apr 09, 2015 11:15am
Kamran added that if Umar had done something wrong then he should be taken to task “as there should be no two ways when it comes to discipline.”
The Board has taken the disciplinary action recommended by Kamran by not selecting Umar for the Bangla tour.
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Apr 09, 2015 11:42am
Umer Akmal is immature batsman with no temperament and patience. On the field he is average and as wicket keeper he is poor. He may have ability to create good shorts (only 4s and 6s) but he is not the ODI player because he is unable to rotate strike. He is just an average T20 player, who need to work hard on his temperament.
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Apr 09, 2015 12:10pm
The coach , players , selectors, and management should all be sacked - this World Cup has been a disaster and people need to be held accountable
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Apr 09, 2015 12:44pm
Problem is that with 164 in 7 ODI maches he would have been dropped in any cricket team for cricketing reason Kamran!
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Apr 09, 2015 01:02pm
he has the talent of hitting the ball straight to the fielder n getting out.
he has the talent of throwing away his wicket after scoring 20-25 runs when a player is set on the crease.
he has the talent of not showing his talent which we have been hearing about since yearsssss.....
should be kept out of the team for good.
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Apr 09, 2015 01:54pm
@Steve Bucknor Could you also please cite his latest average and overall average.
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Apr 09, 2015 03:15pm
I strongly believe that Umar Akmal should be batting at number 3 or 4 and not at 6 or 7. He is a very talented cricketer but is being wasted by the PCB and team management. He should play only as a specialist batsman and not as a batsman-cum-wicket keeper. He should be recallled to the team as soon as possible and groomed and developed as per his potential.
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Apr 09, 2015 07:03pm
This man Kamran Akmal is a strange character. He does not even realize how much of a damage he did to Pakistan cricket (We lost so many series and matches because of him) and now he does not seem to understand what his younger brother is doing.
Since dropping Kamran Akmal from Test team, Pakistan has been doing quite well. Umar Akmal might not have been part of WC squad in my view due to his poor run in series before the WC.. Then he played a one off inning in domestic cricket match and our selectors got him on the list. Pakistan suffered because of this
1. Touring committe got confused about whom to play... Sarfaraz or Akmal..
2. He dropped so many catches especially of Afridi.. Because of that Afridi never got going..
3. The strategy behind playing Akmal was to have another batsman in the playing eleven and here came that "jewel" Nasir Jamshed who impressed every one with his fielding and batting:)
4. Fawad Aalam might have been part of the WC squad in place of Umar Akmal
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Apr 10, 2015 01:10am
@optimist - I agree that the coach performance needs to be evaluated. Did he take any coaches training.
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Apr 10, 2015 02:07am
Talent means nothing when you do not have the right mindset to build an innings. How often we see Umar connecting the ball really well and he is in his 30s, 40s, 50s and he just throw his wicket. Then you see his face where he knows he made a reckless shot.
He needs to grow as a player, as a human being. That is always something that is lacking in Pakistani cricketers. They go to international level and stop working on their weaknesses and make them as their strengths. We have perfect example of Afridi, Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Nasir Jamshed. They all have technical flaws that they do not seem to be working on.
I can understand a batsman getting out 2 or 3 times because he is not using his feet and just nicking the ball to slips playing away from the body. But when he is constantly doing that through out his career then it is something that shows lack of desire to get better.
I once read an article on Michael Bevan AFTER he had retired that he work on pull shot.
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Apr 10, 2015 09:06am
Listen who is talking about giving Umar Akmal another chance....No way, these Akmal should be in our team ever again. They are all trouble makers and nothing else. We have more deserving and talented players then these good for nothing Akmals. I will never forget the Sydney Test as long as I live.
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Apr 10, 2015 09:12am
@samir
lollllllll. You said it perfectly.
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Apr 10, 2015 12:30pm
@Rashid Cannot agree more sir!!! Umar Akmal has so much 'hidden talent' that it always stays hidden, never comes out. We should start witnessing talent, its high time!!!
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Apr 10, 2015 01:24pm
Seriously? My dear Akmal brothers. Thank you very much for your family contribution to Pakistan Cricket. There is nobody in this world who could deny Umar's batting talent. Even his worst critic will appreciate that he is tremendously talented. But, he has stopped "learning from his mistakes". He has stopped growing up. The modern day cricket is played 80% in the mind set and 20% in the field. He is not a keen observant. I wish, someone can help him "how to reflect" and how to self analyse. Trust me, these skills are now part of good school curriculum. Learning to challenge yourself and find your own specific mistakes and practice hard o get rid of that mistake. Young and talented modern day superb batsmen (no names) are known for their extra hard work and practice. He is still very young and extremely talented. I am sure, he will come back in national recognition very soon. Finally, try to be away from public media as much as possible. It hurts more than it heals!
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Apr 10, 2015 03:07pm
If pakistan want to improve them sack all the selectors and the management. Get players away from money and make them play for the love of the game. Increase competition amongst players (perform or you see out). Money will come when they are the best of the best. I would rather see 11 players playing their hearts out for pakistan and lose than 11 players playing for money.
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