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‘Should I go to PM for selection’: Akmal slams selectors, questions former coach
‘I am Pakistan’s player, I have been performing since 5 years, how much should I tolerate it? I said play me as a wicket-keeper if needed,’ he further said.
Veteran Pakistan wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal has lashed out at former coach Mickey Arthur for giving too much importance to fitness and not giving young talents their due during his stint with the national team. He also hit out at the selectors for not rewarding players for performing in the domestic circuit. “I don’t lose heart but there is a limit. It’s been 5 years, you have brought a new system which will have the best quality, best talent and whoever performs will automatically be considered. Should I go and perform in India or Australia to be considered? I am Pakistan’s player, I have been performing since 5 years, how much should I tolerate it? Should I go to the Prime Minister and say this is my performance for 5 years? If there’s someone who is playing ahead of me with fantastic performances, that’s fine. I said play me as a wicket-keeper if needed,” Akmal told a Pakistan news channel.
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“In T20, there is a spot available but you are forcefully playing someone else. This is Pakistan’s team, keep Pakistan in front. If someone is performing, they should be picked. There are many players like me who are deserving, like Fawad Alam, look at his performances. I think his limit has also been reached. Am I talking without performances? There’s a World Cup coming up, I have performed in PSL, and in domestic in all formats and I am a top performer. Misbah should look at these things. Before this, what Mickey Arthur did with Pakistan’s cricket, everyone knows how much bad effects liking and disliking had. Misbah knows how much struggle he did himself and he got what he deserved, I think I should also get what I deserve,” he further added.
“By focusing on fitness and youngsters, we have taken our team to #8. We don’t look at performance or skill anymore, domestic is not considered. Since PSL started, people are selected after 1-2 innings, and not even big innings, 30s and 40s like Asif Ali, Hussain Talat, Ahsan Ali. What is their performance? Ahsan Ali didn’t play even one match in division 1 in FC and you selected him. What is the criteria for selection,” he said.
