Kamran Akmal's Controversial Journey: From the Field to the Front Office
Kamran Akmal is a name that elicits strong emotions in many cricket fans, particularly in Pakistan. Despite his performance as a batsman in PSL, Akmal's international cricket performance and disciplinary record have led to widespread criticism and controversy throughout his career. This has resulted in many Pakistanis viewing him with disdain, and feeling frustrated and angry whenever he takes the field. For this reason, supporting the Peshawar Zalmi cricket team became difficult for some fans, as Kamran Akmal has been a key player for the team over the past seven seasons. The controversies surrounding Kamran Akmal's performance and disciplinary record have been well documented in the cricket world, and it is not surprising that so many fans have a negative opinion of him.
Despite this, he has recently been included in both the senior and junior cricket team's selection committees, A TESTAMENT TO HIS ABILITIES AS A PLAYER????
I had an urge to write a blog about Kamran Akmal, perhaps to explore the reasons behind the intense emotions that he evokes in me, and to examine the impact that he has had on the game of cricket in Pakistan. I hope to shed some light on the controversies and issues that have surrounded Kamran Akmal throughout his career, and to consider why he continues to be such a divisive figure in Pakistani cricket.
Kamran Akmal has been a source of disappointment and frustration for cricket fans, with some even feeling a sense of "helplessness" due to his poor performance on the field.
Once upon a time, Kamran Akmal was touted as Pakistan's version of Adam Gilchrist by enthusiastic experts, but such a comparison with the great Gilchrist is a disservice to the latter's exceptional abilities and only highlights Akmal's shortcomings.
His journey in cricket started back in 2001, when his impressive batting performance in the first-class season caught the attention of the selectors. He amassed 800 runs that season, which resulted in his inclusion in the national cricket team. This highlights that his batting prowess was a major factor in his rise to fame, rather than his wicket-keeping abilities.
Even the highs in Kamran Akmal's career are all related to his batting. During the first Test match of the series against India at Mohali, he scored a defiant hundred in the second innings while batting at number eight. He scored 109 runs off 154 balls, which earned him the man of the match award. This was a major highlight in his Test cricket career. In 2006, against India at Karachi, Kamran Akmal played another defiant inning and rescued Pakistan from 35/6 to take them to 245. This performance earned him another man of the match award.
Kamran Akmal was part of the Pakistan team in both the initial T20 World Cups. In the 2007 edition, his performance was abysmal, however, in the 2009 world cup, he performed with the bat. His 37 against Sri Lanka in the final can be considered as his zenith in T20 cricket. This performance helped Pakistan win the T20 World Cup that year.
The downward spiral of Kamran Akmal's career as a wicket-keeper & batsman has been nothing short of a travesty, leaving fans baffled and seething with anger at the unacceptable and subpar performance that was permitted to persist for far too long.
It is surprising that Kamran Akmal's downfall in cricket did not come sooner given his record. His demise in Test cricket came in 2010 England series. It is noteworthy that within his last 28 Tests, Kamran Akmal had dropped 34 chances, and his batting average in Tests against Australia, South Africa, and England was less than 17. Despite this poor record, it was only after the emergence of Zulqarnain Haider that Kamran Akmal was rested from the national team. Later on, Haider's own controversies, including his sudden departure from the team during a series, further pointed towards the influence of the Akmal brothers within the Pakistani cricket circles. After such a dismal performance behind the stumps, it was a surprise he was able to represent Pakistan for as late as 2017.
Just imagine the pain of Pakistan cricket team fan that we were happy to have UMAR AKMAL keep the wickets in place of his brother.
His fans may argue that Kamran Akmal has made numerous successful catches and holds a high number of dismissals, but it fails to excuse the countless missed opportunities and dropped catches that have become a hallmark of his career. The nickname of "Butter Fingers" is well-deserved, as his inadequate performance with the gloves had been a persistent issue, starting with a string of shoddy performances in England in 2006 and can be witnessed even today.
He has been the reason of mockery for Pakistani fans across the world.
Out of these 10 catches, 6 belongs to Kamran Akmal.
During the 2009-10 tour of Australia, Kamran Akmal's performance in the 2nd Test match in Sydney was nothing short of disastrous. He committed an unacceptable number of errors behind the stumps, dropping a staggering four catches, three of which were from Michael Hussey, who went on to score an unbeaten 134. This egregious display of poor keeping allowed for a match-defining 133-run partnership between Hussey and Peter Siddle. To make matters worse, Pakistan went on to suffer a humiliating 36-run loss, being bowled out for just 139 in the second innings. Later, allegations of match fixing involving Akmal and pace bowler Rana Naved-ul-Hasan emerged, leading to their questioning by the Pakistan Cricket Board and subsequent dropping from the Twenty20 series against England.
Here is a recap of those catches
Check out his recent miss which reminds me of the dropped catch on the bowling of Muhammad Sami in Australia
Examining Kamran Akmal's credibility as a selector. (Why I don't want him near Pakistan Cricket?)
1. Most obvious reason is that his history raises questions about his suitability to be a selector. Someone who has struggled to consistently perform at a high level on the field may not have the necessary skills and judgment to choose the best players for the team.
2. His appointment reeks of nepotism. Appointing someone through nepotism raises concerns about meritocracy and fairness in the selection process. When individuals are selected based on their personal connections rather than their qualifications, skills and experience, it creates an uneven playing field and undermines the credibility of the system. This can lead to resentment and mistrust among talented individuals who were not selected based on their merit, and can also contribute to a lack of accountability and poor performance. Ultimately, nepotism undermines the credibility and integrity of the selection process and can have serious consequences for the success and reputation of the Pakistan team.
3. Kamran Akmal's reputation as a toxic individual has been widely criticized and is a major source of dislike among many people. A toxic personality is often associated with negative traits such as arrogance, lack of empathy, and a general disregard for others. Such behavior can cause harm to those around them and create a toxic environment. In sports, this kind of behavior can lead to a breakdown in team dynamics and can negatively impact performance. It is important for individuals in positions of power to be mindful of their actions and how they affect those around them, and Kamran Akmal's apparent toxic behavior is cause for concern in his new role as selector.
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