Tag: wicketkeeper-batsman

  • Umar Akmal is off to the US for ‘personal meetings’, netizens say ‘don’t come back’

    Umar Akmal is off to the US for ‘personal meetings’, netizens say ‘don’t come back’

    Pakistani cricketer Umar Akmal shared a picture on social media where he said he was going to the United States (US) for some personal meetings.

    Akmal took his fans by surprise as he posted a picture on Twitter and said he was off to the US for some personal meetings and would have to stay there for some time if things worked out.

    Read More – Twitter reacts to Umar Akmal’s TikTok video with wife

    Reacting to his post, Twitterati asked him not to come back.

    “Please don’t come back @Umar96Akmal” wrote one of the users.

    “Don’t come back just be there,” wrote another user.

    Some of the users also speculated that Akmal was off to the US to play in the Major Cricket League (MCL).

    In July this year, Akmal had issued an apology for failing to report cases of spot-fixing in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

    Read More – Umar Akmal gets fans arrested over request for autograph

    “Seventeen months ago, I made a mistake which caused damage to my cricket and career. I learnt a lot during this time and due to that mistake Pakistan cricket’s reputation suffered badly. I ask for forgiveness from the PCB and from cricket fans around the world,” Akmal said in a video released by the PCB.

    Akmal admitted that the period had been “very difficult for him”.

  • Sarfaraz Ahmed spotted riding bike, locals offer cricket match

    Sarfaraz Ahmed spotted riding bike, locals offer cricket match

    Former captain of Pakistan cricket team Sarfaraz Ahmed was recently spotted riding a bike on the roads of Karachi while some fans offered him a cricket match in the video.

    A video went viral on social media in which Sarfaraz can be seen on a bike with probably his daughter when two boys on a bike went near to him and offered a cricket series at a local ground.

    “Saifi Bhai, series khelein kia? New Zealand ka squad toh gaya, Star Ground aajayein, series khelte hain,” the boys were quoted saying to Sarfaraz in the video. “Haan ab yehi reh gaya hai,” the cricketer replied.

    [Translation: “Saifi Bhai, should we play a series? You’re not in the New Zealand squad, so come to Star Ground and we will have a series there.”

    Sarfaraz replied: “Sure, now this is what is left for me to do.”]

    It must be noted here that Sarfaraz was dropped from ODI and T20I squad against New Zealand. The announced T20I squad for the home series against New Zealand is the same that will play against England and in T20 World Cup.

  • Azam Khan taken to hospital after getting hit on head during practice

    Azam Khan taken to hospital after getting hit on head during practice

    Wicket-keeper batsman Azam Khan was taken to hospital after getting hit on the head during practice on Friday in Guyana, and has been ruled out of the second and third T20I against West Indies.

    The 22-year-old, who made his debut earlier this month against England, is learnt to have been struck by a fast bowler.

    According to a press release by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), a neurosurgeon has recommended an observation period of 24 hours following which he will be reassessed on Monday.

    His availability for the fourth and final T20I will depend on the reassessment.

    As per reports, Khan did not lose consciousness and was wearing a helmet at the time he was hit.

    Pakistan and West Indies took part in a rained-out first T20I in Barbados on Wednesday, with only nine overs possible.

    Meanwhile, all three remaining games will take place in Guyana, with Saturday’s contest the first of back-to-back weekend games, before the final match on Tuesday.

    The T20Is will be followed by two Tests starting August 12 and 20, and both will be played in Kingston.

  • ‘What’ve we won before or after 2017 CT?’: Kamran Akmal slams Pakistan’s cricketing policies after whitewash by England

    ‘What’ve we won before or after 2017 CT?’: Kamran Akmal slams Pakistan’s cricketing policies after whitewash by England

    Wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal has slammed the former coaches for the present scenario of the Pakistan cricket team. His statement came after Babar Azam-led Pakistan was whitewashed after losing the last match to England by 7 wickets.

    Ben Stokes-led England, which featured mostly inexperienced players as the regulars were isolated due to the Covid-19 outbreak, trashed the visiting party in all the three ODIs. After the humiliating series loss, the Pakistan team has been receiving flak from several former cricketers of the country for getting hammered by a second-string team.

    In a conversation with paktv.tv, Akmal heaped praise on England’s cricketing system for setting up an example of how to form a team in adverse conditions.

    “The biggest plus point of England cricket is their system. The players they selected for the series didn’t show a single sign of nervousness, neither did they hit the panic button. They didn’t even complain about the absence of regulars who were in isolation, because they have that kind of confidence,” Akmal said.

    “All the players have played in domestic cricket hence; they handled the pressure well and played with planning. They passed a message to the world how a cricket team should be made and what should be the selection criteria,” he added.

    Akmal further pointed out that the damage was done to the team during the tenure of former coaches and the same old policies of the governing body has hampered Pakistan’s cricketing environment.

    “If you have two coaches of similar types, then that will cause problems. Coaches have the biggest role in constituting a team. Did the last two Pakistan coaches improve the team? They started all this and now the current management is facing flak.

    “The players need to play cricket more and more. They need to spend more time on the ground. They need to focus on every format but unfortunately, T20 is getting more attention. Their lies the problem,” Akmal said.

    “Vicky Bhai [Waqar Younis] was the head coach earlier and then there was Mickey Arthur. What have we won after or before the 2017 Champions Trophy? We were number one in T20Is and in Tests just for a month. But what about India who has been on the top for five years?” he added.

    Pakistan will take on England in a three-match T20I series starting from today (Friday).

  • ‘Shallow-minded approach exposed,’ says Hafeez after Sarfaraz criticises him

    Mohammad Hafeez has hit back Sarfaraz Ahmed after the latter criticised him for his recent statements.

    “Shallow minded approach exposed,” wrote Hafeez on Twitter. Though he did not specify who the tweet was directed towards, it is being speculated that the tweet was for Sarfaraz who had earlier called him out for spreading negativity.

    Earlier, Sarfaraz, while responding to Hafeez’s tweet, in which he had praised Mohammad Rizwan for his performance and “wondered” how long the batsman will have to prove himself, had said: “Hafeez Bhai, whoever has played for Pakistan from Imtiaz Ahmed, Wasim Bari, Tasleem Arif to Saleem Yousuf and from Moin Khan, Rashid Latif to Kamran Akmal and even Rizwan right now has always been number one for the country and have been respected accordingly.”

    Ahmed also said that everyone is behind Rizwan and hope he plays many more innings for Pakistan.

    “Aur ayende bhee jisko bhee chance milega wo Pakistan ke liye number one hee huga (And whoever is given a chance to play would be number one for Pakistan),” said Sarfaraz, adding: “We expect nothing but positiveness coming from an international player who has played so many games for Pakistan.”

    Later, replying to Sarfaraz’s tweet, Mohammad Amir who is currently feuding with the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) management said: “You are also a number one wicketkeeper-batsman in Pakistan aur aap hi captain the jab team 2 saal team No 1 rahi in T20 or sab se bar kar Champions Trophy so you are [the] pride of Pakistan (You were the Captain when the Pakistan Cricket Team was the number one T20 team).”

    Meanwhile, social media users have set the internet ablaze with supporters from both sides weighing in their arguments, opinions and comments.

    https://twitter.com/ArfaSays_/status/1360483665139097602?s=19

    https://twitter.com/BhattyHuzaima/status/1359923993097113600?s=19
    https://twitter.com/JawadMjk/status/1360441641950187520?s=19

    https://twitter.com/CricHassan/status/1360369676598063105?s=19

    https://twitter.com/ammarkhi/status/1360489901704310784?s=19

    Later, Senator Faisal Javed Khan also stepped into the conversation, saying: “Easy boys. Let’s motivate each other and be united as they say unity is strength.”

    “When there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved,” he added.

    Later in a tweet, sports journalist Aliya Rasheed tweeted that PCB officials have talked to both of them and resolve their Twitter fight.