KARACHI: Dashing middle-order batsman Umar Akmal, axed on fitness grounds by the national selectors for the upcoming tour of the West Indies, smashed a brilliant hundred in the Patron’s Trophy Grade-II match against Haideri Traders here at the NBP Sports Complex Ground on Thursday which was a testament to his form and fitness in the game.

During his just over three hours stay at the crease, Umar batted in his customary fashion for Candyland and showed no signs of being unfit as stated by chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq while naming the squad in Lahore on Wednesday.

Umar’s punishing ton was laced with 18 boundaries and four sixes besides seven doubles and 21 singles.

However, when approached for his comments over the reasons for his axing from the WI tour, Umar shied away from the press, choosing to remain tight-lipped about the issue.

Sources close to PCB said that with Umar’s elder brother Kamran Akmal making a return to the national team, the selectors were keen to avoid naming both the brothers for the Caribbean tour in view of an earlier incident that took place in Australia back in 2010.

On that occasion, Umar opted out of the Sydney Test citing a finger injury but was then accused by team management for faking it as a mark of support for brother Kamran who was dropped from the match due to his poor wicketkeeping in the series.

Later, the scans too revealed no fracture to Umar’s finger.

Umar has also had a chequered disciplinary record over the past few years and was reported for the same by former coach Waqar Younis in his post World Cup 2015 report to PCB.

Umar, the youngest of the Akmal brothers, has also been criticised by former players for throwing his wicket at crucial junctures in international matches which has put a big question mark on his temperament in the game.

Published in Dawn, March 17th, 2017