'It’s unfair to keep me out': Kamran Akmal upset at PCB for being kept in the 'sidelines'

Pakistan's Kamran Akmal has now come out and has blamed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for keeping him out despite performing well in domestic cricket and the Pakistan Super League (PSL). 

The 38-year-old last represented Pakistan in 2017 and when it comes to PSL, he is the tournament's leading run-scorer with 1537 runs from 55 innings. He also holds the record for the fastest half-century, most dismissals overall (44) and in a single season (12).

Despite all this, the cricketer is not able to return back to the Men in Green squad. While talking about the same on the ‘Inside Out’ show on Cricket Pakistan, Kamran said, “I have been performing in domestic cricket and PSL during the last five years but despite that, I have not been given a chance to play for Pakistan. In the recent past, a couple of coaches did not like me which is why I remained on the sidelines.

“It’s unfair to keep me out of the Test and T20I side, especially, because I can play solely as a batsman. If Matthew Wade can make a comeback with an average of 18-20, why not me who averages nearly 60.”

As for his brother Umar, he was banned in April from all forms of cricket for three years after pleading guilty to failing to report match-fixing approaches. Talking about the suspension, Kamran believes things could have turned out differently for his brother had the Umar been handled more efficiently.

“Off the field, activities is nothing new in Pakistan cricket,” Kamran said. “Team management and the captain should know how to deal with such players. Look at the way Inzy Bhai [Inzamam] handled Shoaib [Akhtar], Asif and Shahid [Afridi]. If the same was done with Umar Akmal, things would have turned out differently.”