Umar Akmal speaking during a TV show:
“He was the captain of the Pakistan team for five years. Now that he's facing a tough time, as Pakistanis, we should support him. It’s not like we should just strip him of the captaincy or remove him from the team. This is the right time to support him.”
“As a player, there’s no doubt that he is currently one of Pakistan’s best players. His batting average is over 50, and he has maintained a top ranking. Whether it's ODIs, T20s, or Test matches, he has proven his ability. He should think about his situation and realize that if people want to take away his captaincy, that is up to the franchise—it’s neither his nor my decision.”
“He has captained for five years, and if he hasn’t won titles, then why did the PCB appoint him? Every two years, the T20 World Cup happens; every four years, the 50-over World Cup takes place. After two years, it should be clear whether someone is fit to be captain or not. If he wasn’t suitable, then PCB should have replaced him earlier—so why did they let him stay for five years?”
“Even now, in the PSL, this is his fourth time as captain. If the franchise didn’t believe in his leadership, they wouldn’t have kept him. Normally, it doesn’t take more than a year to recognize if someone can lead a team. So, the franchise must have faith in him, otherwise, they wouldn’t have kept him for so long.”
“First-class cricket is the toughest environment for captaincy. If a player has led a first-class team, they are likely to become a good captain. Babar led the U-19 team, but he didn’t captain in first-class cricket until after he started playing for Pakistan. Ideally, PCB should have asked him to play first-class cricket and be the captain there first. That way, both he and Pakistan cricket could have benefited. But that didn’t happen.”
“Some people are saying he should be dropped from the team completely. Everyone has their own views, and they are entitled to like or dislike a player. However, using harsh words and saying "drop him from the team" isn’t fair. He has been Pakistan’s number one player for four to five years, raising the country’s name on the global stage. So, how can you just decide to remove him from the franchise and PSL?”
“PSL is a brand, and right now, he is one of the key figures keeping the league relevant. There are three or four major players who define PSL's reputation. If you remove him, where would PSL stand? PSL is already facing financial losses.”
