‘Afridi wants Umar Akmal for England T20s’
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KARACHI: Pakistan T20 skipper Shahid Afridi has appealed to the PCB to include middle-order batsman Umar Akmal in the squad for the upcoming T20 series against England, a reliable source has revealed.
According to the source, the flamboyant all-rounder wants the PCB to complete the disciplinary hearing against Umar quickly after the 25-year-old batsman was allegedly involved in activities which ‘brought disrepute to Pakistan cricket’ while he was featuring for domestic side SNGPL in Hyderabad in the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam trophy.
“Umar is an important part of Afridi's plans for the Pakistan’s World T20 campaign next year,” said the source.
“He has contacted chief selector Haroon Rasheed to expedite Umar Akmal’s return to the T20 side.
“Afridi believes that if Umar is innocent he should join the Pakistan squad on urgent basis,” added the source.
The PCB website on Thursday released a statement about the Umar Akmal episode.
“Umar Akmal was in contention for a place in the T20 squad, but he was not considered following the board issuing him a show cause notice after the press reports revealed that he had brought PCB and Pakistan Cricket into disrepute,” the statement said.
Chief selector Haroon Rasheed confirmed Umar's axing.
“Umar Akmal had been pencilled in for selection but he has subsequently been dropped on instructions from the board,” added Haroon Rasheed.
Afridi will be back in action for Pakistan when they meet England in a three-match T20I series which kicks off on November 26.
The all-rounder will also be leading the team at next year's World T20 to be staged in India.
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On DawnNews
Comments (51) Closed
Nov 14, 2015 08:15pm
No one, neither Akmal nor even Afridi himself should be considered as invincible.
Team has to learn living without those who are arrogant and do not follow the set code of conduct. In this case PCB should take Afridi to task for pressing for Akmal despite knowing about issuance of show cause notice.
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Nov 14, 2015 08:28pm
I do not understand how did Umer Akmal bring "disrepute to Pakistan cricket." Is it unlawful to enjoy leisure time?
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Nov 14, 2015 08:34pm
Afridi has requested for the right man; whatever but Umar has the right talent
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Nov 14, 2015 08:44pm
Awkward moment for PCB
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Nov 14, 2015 08:45pm
Both afridi and umar akmal should be dropped!
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Nov 14, 2015 08:49pm
Afridi why you interfering in PCB management, this does not come in ur job descp.Do you know your own personal performance as per one of famous tv cricketer anchor that 20 matches total runs 216 and 16 wks - what a poor average of senior cricketer and T20 captain 11 runs less than 1 wk per match average. on this you deserve to be team member. Pls explain that instead fighting for Akmal, justify your own ????? which is ZERO
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Nov 14, 2015 08:49pm
I do hope he knows that tournament is being held in India and as things go Pakistan will not be part of it.
So why all this fuss
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Nov 14, 2015 08:52pm
No body is above code of conduct and rule of Law, if he has violated then he should be punished.
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Nov 14, 2015 08:55pm
Umar is a fantastic cricketer. One of the best batsman of asia. The only player i love to watch for the classy stroke play after sachin is umar. Thanks to afridi for requesting for selction of the most talented batsman.
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Nov 14, 2015 09:02pm
Umer Akmal should be included in all format of the game,he is good in the middle order,pakistan tried three new players against England and we saw the result, don,t waste telant we need him game needs him.
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Nov 14, 2015 09:18pm
Afridi is right
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Nov 14, 2015 09:23pm
Friend catches friend. Pakistan has enough pool of talent who easily replaces Umar. Why develop Code of Conduct when don't wish to appreciate it ?
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Nov 14, 2015 09:25pm
I am always surprised at the way Umar Akmal has been treated by PCB. He clearly had the potential to be one of the best batsmen in the world but Pakistan never gave him a chance at the same batting slot long enough. By dropping him for reasons not specified, PCB is again harming his career
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Nov 14, 2015 09:50pm
Umar Akmal is still 25 years old?
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Nov 14, 2015 10:06pm
Good for the Captain to stick with the talented Umar. But Umar needs to get his focus and attention to cricket so he doesn't end up wasting his talent, it's about time he learns from Virat Kohli.
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Nov 14, 2015 10:12pm
I agree with Shahid Akbar. They made mountain out of mole.
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Nov 14, 2015 10:20pm
The board has a genuine reason for their action. The problem with Pakistan in general is that we don't want to follow the rules and everybody thinks that they are the authority and not answerable to anyone. This type of mentality has to go and people who think that they are above the law should be banned and axed from all the posts no matter what occupation they are in. Shaharyar Khan clearly said that these guys are uneducated high school dropouts and as such keep giving a bad name to Pakistan.
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Nov 14, 2015 10:37pm
Not only Akmal but Mr. No performance Afridi should also be dropped. There are more talent players in Pakistan then Umar Akmal only if they get fair chance. Afridi and Akmal have been given too many chance and in last couple of year their performance is sub par.
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Nov 14, 2015 10:54pm
Whether Akmal has done anything wrong or not, whether he has the talent or not, one thing is sure that Afridi does not have locus standi in the matter and his comments are unwarranted.
R.S. Menon, Bangalore
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Nov 14, 2015 11:01pm
discipline is most important than anything wherever country's respect lies.
Moreover we need to think that whether UMER AKMAL is our only talent left to be relied. Nations respect is short lived if the belief of their talent is short. We should never be worried of our talent
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Nov 14, 2015 11:04pm
Shahid Afridi has been appointed Captain, to captain the side he will be given by the selectors.
He can not and should not demand players of his Chioce.
Mr Afridi just do the job you have been given.
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Nov 14, 2015 11:11pm
Afridi, please do not encourage nepotism and "parchi" culture. If Umar wasn't included in the squad, we must respect the decision, regardless.
This is the very difference between the West and desi. We are good at dismantling an organization simply because we hate obeying a procedure.
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Nov 14, 2015 11:16pm
@Shahid Akbar ----this reflects the society of Pakistan that means what he did is exceptable?????????????so all young men should follow him or they are already in it??
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Nov 14, 2015 11:18pm
@Rashid Ishaq ----why??????????????is there are no more talented boys left in Pakistan????????????????
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Nov 14, 2015 11:19pm
Afridi should be dropped. He is not in form.
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Nov 14, 2015 11:22pm
Afridi's appealed is right.Umer Akmal should back into the team quickly if he is proved innocent.He is one the best T20 player presently.
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Nov 15, 2015 12:31am
Umar Akmal has not done anything against the law, bring him back.
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Nov 15, 2015 12:39am
“Umar is an important part of Afridi's plans for the Pakistan’s World T20 campaign next year,” Hahaha, Onw can smell result of the plan
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Nov 15, 2015 12:48am
If Asad Shafiq can be selected again and again despite completely destroying Pakistan's batting in odi and ordinary batsman like Iftikhar Ahmed can go on to get a chance at the international level, how can Umar Akmal be not picked up given the fact he has been the best Pak odi batsman in the last give years inspite of his occasional brain fade while batting?
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Nov 15, 2015 01:08am
What else can he demand at this crucial juncture in time time and history?
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Nov 15, 2015 01:12am
Umar Akmal is the best batsman in the country - regardless of the format of the game! Just like Wahab Riaz was kept out on various pretexts, so is Umar being victimized just because he likes to express himself - he is a maverick in a country that likes to produce clones who simply toe the line! It was only under the captaincy of Mushtaq, and to a lesser extent Imran, did creativity and flair/flamboyance prosper - and so did the team. Please, like Justin Trudeau remarked, this is 2015 - wake up to the reality!!!
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Nov 15, 2015 01:39am
there will be never someone like Imran Khan who dictated his terms with then BCCP now PCB. he did not scratched a pitch neither bite the ball, nor he ever announced a sudden retirement from test cricket in mid series when first test was underway.
So, Mr Afridi, watch out whatever you ask for.
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Nov 15, 2015 02:01am
Dancing brings disrepute to PCB ?
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Nov 15, 2015 02:37am
Drop Afridi too.
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Nov 15, 2015 02:40am
Yes, in the best interest of Pakistan Cricket bring in Umar Akmal in ODIs and T20s.
He has the ability to change the tide of the game. Also, the selectors are doing excesses
against Ahmed Shehzad.
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Nov 15, 2015 04:19am
I'm with you afridi. Umer Akmal is much talented than so many current players in the team. In my opinion he should also be included in ODI series.
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Nov 15, 2015 04:35am
I response to the commentators who advocate Umar Akmal’s inclusion in the team, because he has the talent and is right for the team must seriously think that PCB. does not have a personal vendetta against Umar Akmal. However, if he is charged of bringing "disrepute to Pakistan cricket" there has to be more than engaging in leisure activities- I suggest that they should read between the lines. Notwithstanding his talent we must remember that cricket is a team sport and no one is bigger than the team or the country. Further, this kind of laissez faire attitude about anything and everything goes has led us to many a disaster in the past, and moving forward we must be vigilant if we are to avoid future problems.
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Nov 15, 2015 05:19am
Umar Akmal may have talent, but he has not utilized it very well (Just like Shahid Afridi), His performance has been mediocre at best.
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Nov 15, 2015 05:30am
Why Afridi is showing such a distrust of the selection board? He is just a player only. Truthfully, he is lucky to be selected as I seriously doubt if he has any talent left in cricket. He has disappointed us many times with her mercurial bating and showing no consistency. We need someone moderate like Mishbah. If Afridi indulge in such politics, showing him the door is the right thing for our selection board. Once you open the door to such thankless advise and intrusion, there is no end to it. I remember in my time Sarfaraz Nawaz has that peculiar talent and he was tolerated for a very long time. This country has suffered long in its reputation. Please do not compromise it anymore. Akmal has shown too many antics unfitting for a player. No tear shed from me.
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Nov 15, 2015 06:02am
Please provide us with more details what Umar Akmal brought disrepute to PCB? It's no longer a personal affair when you are dealing with members of our cricket team. In the nation's eyes, a chief selector can be changed without affecting us. But a good respectable cricketer, now you are messing with the whole nation.
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Nov 15, 2015 07:02am
Can we take Afridi out of the team too? Please ?
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Nov 15, 2015 07:47am
Why not drop both of them.
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Nov 15, 2015 08:34am
Why is Afridi so aggressive? Team is already being announced, he should better use Sarfraz as well, but Afridi wants Omar Akmal to be the next captain, not Sarfraz.
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Nov 15, 2015 08:53am
why do we take sides of undisciplined characters?
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Nov 15, 2015 09:45am
We should not support undisciplined persons. I think Afridi should be dropped too. He is not performing well.
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Nov 15, 2015 09:47am
Afridi should not bend the rules for his personal favourites. There is no dearth of players who could be even better than Akmal.
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Nov 15, 2015 09:49am
This is the reason behind failure of almost every Pakistani institution- favoritism.
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Nov 15, 2015 11:14am
They both can stay out and team won't miss them. Afridi again trying to be controversial.
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Nov 15, 2015 11:18am
@Arif k He in playing from 5 years but never should his talented inning, Both Afridi and Akmal should never be selected for the betterment of young generation.
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Nov 15, 2015 08:23pm
Afridi is right, get him for t20
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Nov 16, 2015 02:38am
It is better to change Afridi as captain. He is useless now.
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