Don't get me wrong. Akmal's keeping leaves a lot to be desired (though stats tell a different story) and he will surely drop more dollies against SLA. This series should be his last chance to redeem himself.
If he performs with the bat we should probably try him as a specialist batsman
I am not convinced that Sarfaraz is the answer. Making changes just for the sake of it is also not good.
Re: Pakistan announced 15-men squad for first Test
^Akmal drops way to many catches...and a keepers main job to keep properly. Sarfraz has never been given a proper run. The only time he played a few matches in a row was during the asia cup...and he didnt drop any catches. Yes, there was a few fumbles, but thats normal for any youngster trying to make a good impression and cement his place.
I can gaurantee if Sarfraz is given as many chances as Akmal, Sarfraz will keep and bat a lot better than Akmal. I have seen Sarfraz bat in the U-19 WC and look at Sarfraz's first class batting average...43.19.....and compare that with Akmal's...30.91
Just that comparison proves Sarfraz is a lot more talented than Akmal..the guy just needs to be given confidence and a proper run...and you will see how he will prosper.
Sarfraz has played only 8 ODI's for Pakistan out of which he's only batted in 2 of them. ONLY 2. You CANNOT judge anyone on the basis of 2 innings.
Re: Pakistan announced 15-men squad for first Test
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Akmal shudnt be playing as wicket keeper batsman ..... he should start concentrating on his batting ... n make way into the team through his batting performances ......
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Cant believe you guys are thinking of Akmal part of team as a specialist batsman. What is wrong with you guys? Lagta hay Akmal say kuch zada hee attachment ho gie hay
Re: Pakistan announced 15-men squad for first Test
*lol... i said .... he shud make his way as a batsmen ...... tht means ... he has to show his performance :D........... Allah na kerey k woh din aye .. jab Akmal say attachment ho
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Re: Pakistan announced 15-men squad for first Test
OK seriously people..we have A LOT better batsmen in our domestic circuit that we dont need to and shouldnt play Akmal is a batsman 
What wrong with you cadet? 
Saeed Bin Nasir
Umer Amin
Fawad Alam
helll even Faisal Iqbal is better than him! These are just to name a few!
We got a lot of wicketkeeping talent…Akmal needs to go back and work on his keeping big time…as for his replacement…like ive said earlier…I have high hopes from Sarfraz…the guy has massive talent…and he’s really young…im sure if we get a captain who’s not sleeping with Akmal…poor Sarfraz might actually get a proper chance to prove himself.
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fawad alam is already in team …
Saeed Bin Nasir is one name … tht can be given chance …
other then him … i really dont think there is much backup in our domestic circuit..
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fkhan I know Akmal’s keeping is terrible at times but then how do you explain that he has a better wicket-keeping record than Rashid Latif, Moin Khan - Rashid and Moin should have done a lot better IMO considering they kept wickets to the likes of the two W’s for much of their careers - infact any PAK wk incl. Bari. Most people w’d agree that Bari was the best Pak w/k no matter what stats say but no other Pak w/k has a dismissals/innings ratio of 2.0. Stats don’t give the whole picture but they can’t be completely ignored either.
So Akmal perhaps deserves one last chance on the basis of his stats. If he disappoints again we should relieve him of his glove duties and give someone-else a chance and try Akmal purely as a batsman. Yasser Arafat is over-rated and Fawad Alam, Saeed Bin Nasir, Ahmed Shahzad etc. are all unproven at international level
I know some of the newbies have n’t had a chance to prove themselves yet but I believe few in the current team barring Younis, Yousuf & perhaps Misbah can play these kind of innings. When Akmal is on song he can be quite menacing
113 v India 2006
http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2005-06/IND_IN_PAK/SCORECARDS/IND_PAK_T3_29JAN-02FEB2006.html
124 v WI 2005*
http://uk.cricinfo.com/link_to_database/ARCHIVE/2004-05/OD_TOURNEYS/VBS/SCORECARDS/PAK_WI_VBS_ODI3_19JAN2005.html
109 v Eng 3rd ODI 2006
http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2005-06/ENG_IN_PAK/SCORECARDS/ENG_PAK_ODI3_15DEC2005.html
102 v England 2nd ODI 2006
http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2005-06/ENG_IN_PAK/SCORECARDS/ENG_PAK_ODI2_12DEC2005.html
Re: Pakistan announced 15-men squad for first Test
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^^those are all his batting performances ........
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^^those are all his batting performances ........
No he has 9 international hundreds (5 in tests and 4 in ODIs)
so let's not overreact. His keeping is pathetic but he is a capable batsman
No he has 9 international hundreds (5 in tests and 4 in ODIs) so let's not overreact. His keeping is pathetic but he is a capable batsman
i agree...
thts y i said tht he shud start concentrating on his batting ... n leave aside his keeping...
there are quite alot better batsmen then him in domestic circuit.. so he has to prove himself as better batsmen too
Re: Pakistan announced 15-men squad for first Test
i used to be a supporter of akmal on the basis of some of those batting knocks, but not so sure now. one thing though, like Misbah, Akmal deserves a batting spot just based on those gutsy performances. Its one thing to have batting talent in the classical sense, another to have proven your mettle by single handedly saving matches under ridiculous circumstances. that deserves persistence IMO, if as a specialist batsman.
Re: Pakistan announced 15-men squad for first Test
where are those pacers who bowled unbelievable swinging balls in that U-19 world cup final a lifetime ago?
where are those pacers who bowled unbelievable swinging balls in that U-19 world cup final a lifetime ago?
Senior side is made up of so many lethal bowlers that it's difficult for them to get into the side.
They are probably being polished off in the so called national Cricket Academy.
Squeeky Akmal a waste of space little muppet.
i agree... thts y i said tht he shud start concentrating on his batting ... n leave aside his keeping... there are quite alot better batsmen then him in domestic circuit.. so he has to prove himself as better batsmen too
Domestic cricket is a different ball game. Look at what happened to the likes of Hasan Raza, Faisal Iqbal etc. They are mediocre at best
Agreed
That Mohali effort by Razzaq and Akmal was one of the greatest escapes in Test history and no less than a miracle. I had given up all hopes of a draw on the penultimate day but was pleasantly surprised to see the next day that Pakistan had somehow salvaged an honourable draw.
http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2004-05/PAK_IN_IND/SCORECARDS/PAK_IND_T1_08-12MAR2005.html