LAHORE: Former Test wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal on Saturday expressed his dejection over the response he received from his team Central Punjab’s coach and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final.

Talking to media here, the 38-year-old Kamran claimed that despite having recovered from injury, Central Punjab coach Shahid Anwar did not recall him for the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final, which was currently in progress Karachi.

The veteran wicket-keeper/batsman suffered a shoulder injury in November 2020 and was subsequently dropped from CP team. He featured in his last Quaid-e-Azam Trophy match from Nov 6-9 against Balochistan at Karachi.

However Kamran, who represented Pakistan in 53 Tests, 157 ODIs and 58 Twenty20 Internationals, said he had recovered from the injury and was fully fit to play for Central Punjab in the Quaid Trophy final but lamented that the team’s coach did not give him due recognition.

“Being the senior most player of the team I deserve [due] respect from my coach to recall me for the final, as I am fit,” a dejected-looking Kamran said.

“I conveyed my grievances to PCB chief executive Wasim Khan and director National High-Performance Centre Nadeem Khan a couple of days ago. However, I have not received any response [from them] so far.

“Look, I left my cricket assignments abroad just for the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. Now when I receive this sort of attitude from my coach it certainly causes dejection,” Kamran, who last represented Pakistan in 2017 in an ODI against West Indies at Providence, regretted.

To a question on whether if he would be ready to play for Central Punjab in the Pakistan Cup One-day starting in Karachi from Jan 8, Kamran said he had not thought about it yet.

“I have informed the PCB high-ups about the attitude of the coach. Firstly, let’s see what the PCB does to my complaint,” Kamran said.

Published in Dawn, Jannuary 3rd, 2021