Shoaib Akhtar or Umar Akmal: Who was the bigger waste of talent for Pakistan?

[Savak]

Shoaib in my view should have at least achieved 250 test wickets in test cricket and 300 plus ODI wickets. The amount of fame, adulation, fan following he achieved was nothing seen before and he was able to dislodge the once irreplaceable Waqar Younis from the team. He lost his way from 2004-05 onwards where he had bulked up and also started to frustrate the PCB, his captain Inzamam with his antics and refusal to reign his off field antics. There is no doubt because he along with Afridi was the only real super star left in the team, he started to consider himself to be superior to his team mates and as a result refused to identify himself with the team and fit in.

Umar Akmal at one point in time was clearly Pakistan's best ODI and T-20 batsman from 2009 to 2014, he was always compared to Kohli, at one point in time from 2009 to 2013, it was felt he had even fulfilled his talent, potential vs Rohit Sharma but how times have changed perception and reality. He started to lose his way from 2015 and by 2016-17, the PCB clearly lost faith confidence in him and had decided to part ways. UA didn't help himself by just not taking his career seriously and getting into so many unnecessary controversies with the last bit being the spot fixing scandal in 2020.

Shoaib has atleast milked his cricket career and the memories of what he did during his playing days and has encashed it fully in retirement by securing lucrative commentary contracts and analyst gigs where he is the highest paid media person who can command any price he demands, he has the largest Youtube fan base in Pakistan and India and he has apparently invested very heavily and smartly in real estate including some very big projects and he in an interview with Brett Lee in a podcast boasted that he has set himself and his family including his brothers up for life with their real estate ventures and he doesn't really need to go begging for a job with anyone.

Umar Akmal in comparison is completely out of demand, he can't get fit and slim even if someone offers him a million dollars and if his life depends on it. It is truly sad to see someone who was once considered hot property in the T-20 circuit where he would easily secure T-20 gigs in the CPL, T-20 Blast, BPL, PSL where he is now even struggling to secure a domestic contract, he was even dropped by his domestic team for poor performances and even judging by his body language, he has now resigned to the fact that he is now going to fade into oblivion. I don't really see him being able to encash his cricket achievements and memories once his cricket career is over.

 

[mominsaigol]

Shoaib in my view should have at least achieved 250 test wickets in test cricket and 300 plus ODI wickets. The amount of fame, adulation, fan following he achieved was nothing seen before and he was able to dislodge the once irreplaceable Waqar Younis from the team. He lost his way from 2004-05 onwards where he had bulked up and also started to frustrate the PCB, his captain Inzamam with his antics and refusal to reign his off field antics. There is no doubt because he along with Afridi was the only real super star left in the team, he started to consider himself to be superior to his team mates and as a result refused to identify himself with the team and fit in.

Umar Akmal at one point in time was clearly Pakistan's best ODI and T-20 batsman from 2009 to 2014, he was always compared to Kohli, at one point in time from 2009 to 2013, it was felt he had even fulfilled his talent, potential vs Rohit Sharma but how times have changed perception and reality. He started to lose his way from 2015 and by 2016-17, the PCB clearly lost faith confidence in him and had decided to part ways. UA didn't help himself by just not taking his career seriously and getting into so many unnecessary controversies with the last bit being the spot fixing scandal in 2020.

Shoaib has atleast milked his cricket career and the memories of what he did during his playing days and has encashed it fully in retirement by securing lucrative commentary contracts and analyst gigs where he is the highest paid media person who can command any price he demands, he has the largest Youtube fan base in Pakistan and India and he has apparently invested very heavily and smartly in real estate including some very big projects and he in an interview with Brett Lee in a podcast boasted that he has set himself and his family including his brothers up for life with their real estate ventures and he doesn't really need to go begging for a job with anyone.

Umar Akmal in comparison is completely out of demand, he can't get fit and slim even if someone offers him a million dollars and if his life depends on it. It is truly sad to see someone who was once considered hot property in the T-20 circuit where he would easily secure T-20 gigs in the CPL, T-20 Blast, BPL, PSL where he is now even struggling to secure a domestic contract, he was even dropped by his domestic team for poor performances and even judging by his body language, he has now resigned to the fact that he is now going to fade into oblivion. I don't really see him being able to encash his cricket achievements and memories once his cricket career is over.

What happened to Akhtar is what usually happens to 50% of subcontinent bowlers.

They come onto the scene, are basically impossible to play, and then injury happens or fitness issues and then their has beens of themselves. JUNAID KHAN, Hasan ali etc are no different.

But Akhtar in his prime was genuinely talented and a complete freak to play, had he not gone relaxed, he'd be an ATG, whereas someone like hasan Ali would never reach that mark.

In the case of Umar Akmal, he was overhyped, Even if Unar akmal worked hard and achieved he wouldn't have been an ATG or a once in a generational player. Heck he wouldn't even be on par with England batsmen.

He'd be good no doubt, but his class would mostly be in the realm of Harry Brook, he wasn't gonna be a Travis head or Warner or anything, whike Akhtar was easily the next replacement for waqar if things hadn't gone south

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Unlike Umar Akmal; Shoaib Akhtar actually achieved something, is one of the most instantly recognizable names in Pakistan cricket and was at various points in his career the most feared fast-bowler in the world. Some bowlers are meant to take 300+ wickets but Shoaib was not one of those. He was meant to bowl fast and terrorize batsmen. Shoaib was like James Dean or Kurt Cobain. He was never supposed to be there for a very long time.

And the reason I make that comparison is because Shoaib was a vibe. It was as much about the personality, eye-balling batsmen after bowling a fast bouncer and the controversies, as it was about the bowling. It was all a part of the package. He was the closest thing Pakistan cricket had to a rockstar.

Pakistan cricket team during the 2000's took religiosity to a whole another level. It is well-known how that affected team performance. Shoaib never tried to be anything he wasn't. He wasn't religious and liked to have a good time every now and then. I don't see what's wrong with that. That's not to say that Shoaib hasn't made mistakes or done stupid things in his career but the legacy of what he has achieved far outweighs all that.

 

[Rana]

Shoaib Akhtar for how much he could physically offer was not a waste of talent. His success post cricket proves that.

Umar Akmal for sure was a massive let down

 

[jnaveen1980]

Agree Akthar infact has done as far as his body allowed him. It is literally impossible to have a long career. But batsmen are supposed to have very long career.

 

[mominsaigol]

Shoaib Akhtar for how much he could physically offer was not a waste of talent. His success post cricket proves that.

Umar Akmal for sure was a massive let down

Akhtar had potential to be an ATG but falls short due to fitness.

Umar akmal potential was only to basically be an improved babar azam, aka a Bobby who has b@lls.

But beyond that he wasn't atg or modern great material

 

[Savak]

Unlike Umar Akmal; Shoaib Akhtar actually achieved something, is one of the most instantly recognizable names in Pakistan cricket and was at various points in his career the most feared fast-bowler in the world. Some bowlers are meant to take 300+ wickets but Shoaib was not one of those. He was meant to bowl fast and terrorize batsmen. Shoaib was like James Dean or Kurt Cobain. He was never supposed to be there for a very long time.

And the reason I make that comparison is because Shoaib was a vibe. It was as much about the personality, eye-balling batsmen after bowling a fast bouncer and the controversies, as it was about the bowling. It was all a part of the package. He was the closest thing Pakistan cricket had to a rockstar.

Pakistan cricket team during the 2000's took religiosity to a whole another level. It is well-known how that affected team performance. Shoaib never tried to be anything he wasn't. He wasn't religious and liked to have a good time every now and then. I don't see what's wrong with that. That's not to say that Shoaib hasn't made mistakes or done stupid things in his career but the legacy of what he has achieved far outweighs all that.

Funny thing is Akhtar has become more religious now. He has undertaken many Umrah and Hajj trips and is an active participant in the Tablighi Jamaat group. Only difference is he keeps it to himself and doesn't overtly advertise it. He married a religious conservative Pashtun girl who observes Pardah and he has kept her private, away from the media and the world.

If he had done these things back then, I am pretty sure he would have fitted in nicely in the Inzamam led dressing room from 2003 to 2007.

 

[Rana]

Agree Akthar infact has done as far as his body allowed him. It is literally impossible to have a long career. But batsmen are supposed to have very long career.

Tbh he did play only 70% of the amount of cricket Bret Lee played, but they were two different types of Athletes I recon from a physical pov. Brett Lee was much more nimble and agile in comparison to Akhtar who was far more of a physical specimen by the end of his career.

I don’t understand why Pakistani coaches feel the need to make a guy who naturally boys 150kmh put on muscle mass? They did the same with Rauf. He came onto the scene much more lean and agile with he was legit hitting 155kmh with Qalandars. He’s become bigger with some fat+muscle and is now a 150kmh every now and then bowler…he’s lost that Zing to 155kmh

I think the same happened to Akhtar, look at his physique from 1997-2003….he was in peak shape and fitness, excellent athlete! In 2005/6 England series, the guy was looking more like a night club bouncer than an actual Athlete. His legs clearly were heavier and his hobbling became more and more apparent.

 

[hassan918]

I don't think it is a fair comparison. Umar Akmal could be compared with the likes of Ahmed Shehzad. For me, Shoaib Akhtar isn't the waste of the talent.

 

[Savak]

Tbh he did play only 70% of the amount of cricket Bret Lee played, but they were two different types of Athletes I recon from a physical pov. Brett Lee was much more nimble and agile in comparison to Akhtar who was far more of a physical specimen by the end of his career.

I don’t understand why Pakistani coaches feel the need to make a guy who naturally boys 150kmh put on muscle mass? They did the same with Rauf. He came onto the scene much more lean and agile with he was legit hitting 155kmh with Qalandars. He’s become bigger with some fat+muscle and is now a 150kmh every now and then bowler…he’s lost that Zing to 155kmh

I think the same happened to Akhtar, look at his physique from 1997-2003….he was in peak shape and fitness, excellent athlete! In 2005/6 England series, the guy was looking more like a night club bouncer than an actual Athlete. His legs clearly were heavier and his hobbling became more and more apparent.

You have to factor in some age fudging. It is difficult to successfully bowl at that pace once you reach your 30's and eventually your body will succumb to injuries which is why bowlers like Lillee, Waqar e.t.c. made compromises and modifications to their bowling actions where they cut down on pace but allowed themselves to play an extra 3-4 years.

By 2004 even though Shoaib was officially 28-29 years old but he started to bowl like a 31-32 year old and his body had lost the athleticism of someone in his 20's.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Funny thing is Akhtar has become more religious now. He has undertaken many Umrah and Hajj trips and is an active participant in the Tablighi Jamaat group. Only difference is he keeps it to himself and doesn't overtly advertise it. He married a religious conservative Pashtun girl who observes Pardah and he has kept her private, away from the media and the world.

If he had done these things back then, I am pretty sure he would have fitted in nicely in the Inzamam led dressing room from 2003 to 2007.

Why would anyone change who they are just to fit in with a certain group of people? If people can't accept your for who you are then there's something wrong with them, not you. If anything, I admire Shoaib for being who he was, despite the obvious pressure to conform with the rest.

The bigger question is why Inzamam thought that making the cricket team into a tableeghi jamaat was a good idea?

 

[Rana]

Funny thing is Akhtar has become more religious now. He has undertaken many Umrah and Hajj trips and is an active participant in the Tablighi Jamaat group. Only difference is he keeps it to himself and doesn't overtly advertise it. He married a religious conservative Pashtun girl who observes Pardah and he has kept her private, away from the media and the world.

If he had done these things back then, I am pretty sure he would have fitted in nicely in the Inzamam led dressing room from 2003 to 2007.

The guy is a ‘live your life to the fullest’ kind of person. He probably had this planned. He wanted to enjoy his youth/playing days but then settle down properly once and devote to God completely at a later stage in life.

Nothing wrong with it.

 

[mominsaigol]

I don't think it is a fair comparison. Umar Akmal could be compared with the likes of Ahmed Shehzad. For me, Shoaib Akhtar isn't the waste of the talent.

Shehzad unlike akmal had even more talent.

Shehzad unlike akmal, had better shots, better footwork and genuinely had good power and was good at spin.

He had the potential to be a modern great and could have easily been an Amla esc player for Pakistan. He even has good test stats and was keeping up with put atg combo of YK, Misbah and azhar and the lower order combo of shafiq and Sarfraz.

Problem with shehzad was that he had a huge issue with strike rotation, and that caused the critics to attack him because the game started progressing to where 300 was now a par score.

But shehzad thought he was a finished product, never improved his game despite obvious gaps in lacking single taking shots as well as his cover drive needing work.

A player with good technique and footwork but lack of shots, something he should have worked on but never did.

 

[Bewal Express]

UA was never a big talent. No better than most FC players but hyped to the hilt. A role appeared for him around 2014 as WK/batter but he played politics and tried to save his brother Kamis career and in the process both lost out for their badniyaati.
SA was an absolute idiot. The guy was drinking too much, overweight and unfit and would try to lose the excess weight too quickly and this led to injuries. Absolute waste of a career

 

[Rana]

Shehzad unlike akmal had even more talent.

Not really bro. Junior Akmal was genuinely the only player in that depressing 2010-2017 era that was capable of playing the way SENA+ West Indies and India were approaching modern batting requirements.

I remember we used to play SA a lot around 2012-2013 (mainly away), and even back then I remember there were games where AB Devilliers (who used to keep for SA) was always targeting UA with sledging. He never really cared to indulge with the other Pakistani batsmen who were pretty much all depressing to watch, Afridi was alright for number 6/7 but all the others besides him and Umar Akmal were positive players.

If a guy like AB recons he needs to get under your skin when you are batting…there has to be something about you! Umar’s failure overall has been his unnecessary comparison to Kohli in his time. Whilst Kohli was pumping hundred upon hundred, the Pakistani media were putting insurmountable pressure on Umar to deliver the same for Pakistan. The guy always felt he needed to do something extraordinary otherwise all of Pakistan will hate him. He used to get a good start every time but this pressure of keeping it going was always his undoing

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Shoaib played cricket for almost 14 years and played more than 200 international matches in which he took around 500 wickets.

How could you consider it a waste of talent?

 

[Rana]

Shoaib played cricket for almost 14 years and played more than 200 international matches in which he took around 500 wickets.

How could you consider it a waste of talent?

Lol he was supposed to take 400 ODI wickets and at least 350 Test Wickets like Waqar Younis did maybe? Also lift one ICC Tournament as a winner at least. Maybe that’s the expectations people had from him?

Just wasn’t to be unfortunately

 

[Bewal Express]

It's a relative concept. When you had his talent, it was a terrible waste.

Shoaib played cricket for almost 14 years and played more than 200 international matches in which he took around 500 wickets.

How could you consider it a waste of talent?

 

[Cricket Warrior]

It's a relative concept. When you had his talent, it was a terrible waste.

The way he carried his injuries throughout his career.... it was nothing less than a miracle that he went that far.

 

[Bewal Express]

The way he carried his injuries throughout his career.... it was nothing less than a miracle that he went that far.

Injuries are part of bowling fast but better diet and training can help to mitigate the worst affects. SA lived for the moment and bar the fastest bowl( which btw is bizarrely treated as some sort of Olympic record), he has little to show for extraordinary talent.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Both were being mismanaged by the PCB.

 

[Energy]

Let's be honest. Umar Akmal is a clown. And a glaring reality of the beginning of low-IQ, short-term, stardom that took over Pakistan cricket - and which has continued for the last decade.

Hopefully Babar and Shaheen will take Pakistan cricket back to some sort of relevance by playing out a 15-year career, staying true to their game and retire as legends.

 

[Hitman]

For newer fans, try asking older fans how much Shoaib disgraced his team and how many controversies he causes. He is solely responsible for how his career turned out to be.

 

[mazkhan]

Shoaib had an excellent career it was left unfilled by injuries , problems with the corrupt board and his own indiscipline and ego of trying to bowl always quick which probably made his injuries worse.

He was brilliant in 2006 under Woolmer where he used his brain and varied his speeds his slow ball indippers were bowled with guile.

 

[RidiculousMan]

Umar was a much bigger waste of talent.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Let's be honest. Umar Akmal is a clown. And a glaring reality of the beginning of low-IQ, short-term, stardom that took over Pakistan cricket - and which has continued for the last decade.

Hopefully Babar and Shaheen will take Pakistan cricket back to some sort of relevance by playing out a 15-year career, staying true to their game and retire as legends.

Umar Akmal is not a clown.He possessed very good talent and shot selections if he had played at the top order.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Shoaib had an ok career. Won big games for Pakistan. Broke world records and inspired a generation of bowlers. He overcame considerable physical defects to play. Could he have played more - yes probably. He was let down by bad fitness and temperament. He leaves behind a legacy in Pakistan cricket AND world cricket.

Umar Akmal has no real legacy in Pakistan cricket. It is not right to compare them in any way.

 

[TheSultan]

Shoaib could have achieved more, but he still made a massive impact, and bowlers are still aspiring to be like him.

Umar Akmal after his blazing start in NZ and the world T20 2010 - achieved nothing. Sad, because he had it all. Even his delusion was fine. Players need belief even if it borders on delusion. His biggest problem was that he got involved in his brothers’ politics.

Very selfish of Kamran really because he destroyed his brother’s career just when it started.

Kamran wouldn’t dare act like that at the beginning of his own career

 

[Buffet]

Despite not playing that much , Akhtar was a world class bowler. Akmal was not in that league.

 

[cricketmania22]

Shoaib Akhtar was indeed a remarkable bowler, known for his sheer pace and ability to destroy batting lineups when at his best. He had inherent fitness issues, and his post-2003 weight gain made it worse. But when on song he was one of the best bowlers to watch. On the other hand, Umar Akmal showed promise early on but struggled to fulfill his potential due to various factors, including mental issues and poor shot selection. Comparing the two, it's clear they were on different levels, skill wise and challenges faced in their careers.

 

[Energy]

Umar Akmal is not a clown.He possessed very good talent and shot selections if he had played at the top order.

How do you measure talent?

Why did that talent not score runs consistently? Umar Akmal isn't a 30 year old baby that he could magically score runs at 3, but couldn't score at 5.

He was a short term flash in the pan. Something that we have gotten used to over the years. Hence our talents have huge wings but have a hard time scoring runs.

 

[FearlessRoar]

How do you measure talent?

Why did that talent not score runs consistently? Umar Akmal isn't a 30 year old baby that he could magically score runs at 3, but couldn't score at 5.

He was a short term flash in the pan. Something that we have gotten used to over the years. Hence our talents have huge wings but have a hard time scoring runs.

Because he is not match finisher, and he has been playing down to the lower middle order, and according to his talent he was top order batter to anchor innings

 

[shortbread]

Shoaib Akhtar or Umar Akmal: Who was the bigger waste of talent for Pakistan?

Set aside his occasional indiscipline and superstar ego, Shoaib Akhtar gave his everything on the field. To bowl at that pace, to toil in subcontinent conditions..... it's not right to even raise such a question.

Akhtar said one of his main issues was the lack of knowledge in his days when it came to fast bowling fitness, neither he or his mentors knew how really to prepare. Akhtar was into weight training rather than endurance. Later on this contributed to his knee issues. Yet he never took the easy route to trundle along a career as long as possible bowling medium pace.

Akmal isn't even close. Shoaib Akhtar is also a smart intelligent man, none of which is a quality Umar possessed, even to this day.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Umar Akmal in my opinion as Shoaib had a career plagued with injuries rather than excuses.

 

[mominsaigol]

Umar Akmal is not a clown.He possessed very good talent and shot selections if he had played at the top order.

Umar Akmal got ruined by Misbah, I talked about his batting order in great detail and I even got POTW for it.

But ot doesn't change the fact that the had multiple opportunities that he did botch.

He usually batted at no 4 in t20, and in leagues around 2016, he had the chance to make a name for himself but didn't.

Akmal was talented but these akmal khandan boys have an ego. Ironically though I've noticed the ego's inflate the more down the generation we go.

1) Kamran akmal (Has an ego but keeps in check)

2) Umar Akmal (Bigger ego then Kamran and doesn't keep it in check)

3) Babar Azam (Babar at this point deserves his own statue that's has the word no 1 plastered onto it)

 

[Savak]

Umar Akmal himself is to blame. Even his brother Kamran admitted in many interviews that Umar is not an easy person to deal with.

 

[PakLFC]

Shoaib fulfilled his potential more then Umer who was just a time waster. A few decent innings got to him thinking he was Sachin or somewhere near that class.

 

[Hitman]

Umar Akmal himself is to blame. Even his brother Kamran admitted in many interviews that Umar is not an easy person to deal with.

Remembering him faking an injury after playing just 2-3 matches at the international level just because his brother was dropped from the playing 11? Imagine the audacity.

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Umar Akmal himself is to blame. Even his brother Kamran admitted in many interviews that Umar is not an easy person to deal with.

But many times he came up in the media in support of Umer saying that he is being treated unfairly.

 

[Rana]

You can’t ‘not be talented’ and produce innings like these:

AUS vs PAK Cricket Scorecard, 16th Match, Group 2 at Dhaka, March 23, 2014

Live Cricket Scoreboard: Get Australia vs Pakistan 16th Match, Group 2, cricket scorecard, World T20 2013/14 dated March 23, 2014.

www.espncricinfo.com

AUS vs PAK Cricket Scorecard, 2nd Semi-Final at Gros Islet, May 14, 2010

Live Cricket Scoreboard: Get Australia vs Pakistan 2nd Semi-Final, cricket scorecard, ICC World Twenty20 2010 dated May 14, 2010.

www.espncricinfo.com

AUS vs PAK Cricket Scorecard, 1st T20I at Birmingham, July 05, 2010

Get cricket scorecard of 1st T20I, AUS vs PAK, Australia tour of England and Ireland 2010 at Edgbaston, Birmingham dated July 05, 2010.

www.espncricinfo.com

I can honestly say, Pakistan hasn’t had a batter like Umar Akmal in the middle order for T20’s….ever! Name someone better than him even now?

 

[Savak]

You can’t ‘not be talented’ and produce innings like these:

AUS vs PAK Cricket Scorecard, 16th Match, Group 2 at Dhaka, March 23, 2014

Live Cricket Scoreboard: Get Australia vs Pakistan 16th Match, Group 2, cricket scorecard, World T20 2013/14 dated March 23, 2014.

www.espncricinfo.com

AUS vs PAK Cricket Scorecard, 2nd Semi-Final at Gros Islet, May 14, 2010

Live Cricket Scoreboard: Get Australia vs Pakistan 2nd Semi-Final, cricket scorecard, ICC World Twenty20 2010 dated May 14, 2010.

www.espncricinfo.com

AUS vs PAK Cricket Scorecard, 1st T20I at Birmingham, July 05, 2010

Get cricket scorecard of 1st T20I, AUS vs PAK, Australia tour of England and Ireland 2010 at Edgbaston, Birmingham dated July 05, 2010.

www.espncricinfo.com

I can honestly say, Pakistan hasn’t had a batter like Umar Akmal in the middle order for T20’s….ever! Name someone better than him even now?

These innings are all a distant memory. I would say Umar's decline came after marriage in 2014. By 2015 he started putting on weight and he paid the price for a poor 2016 T20 WC. However he let himself go very badly in 2017 and Mickey Arthur had a no nonsense fitness policy which prompted Mickey to send UA back home from the 2017 CT squad. Instead of UA accepting his flaws, he fought publicly fought with Mickey and he fell out of favour for good after 2017.

 

[mominsaigol]

You can’t ‘not be talented’ and produce innings like these:

AUS vs PAK Cricket Scorecard, 16th Match, Group 2 at Dhaka, March 23, 2014

Live Cricket Scoreboard: Get Australia vs Pakistan 16th Match, Group 2, cricket scorecard, World T20 2013/14 dated March 23, 2014.

www.espncricinfo.com

AUS vs PAK Cricket Scorecard, 2nd Semi-Final at Gros Islet, May 14, 2010

Live Cricket Scoreboard: Get Australia vs Pakistan 2nd Semi-Final, cricket scorecard, ICC World Twenty20 2010 dated May 14, 2010.

www.espncricinfo.com

AUS vs PAK Cricket Scorecard, 1st T20I at Birmingham, July 05, 2010

Get cricket scorecard of 1st T20I, AUS vs PAK, Australia tour of England and Ireland 2010 at Edgbaston, Birmingham dated July 05, 2010.

www.espncricinfo.com

I can honestly say, Pakistan hasn’t had a batter like Umar Akmal in the middle order for T20’s….ever! Name someone better than him even now?

Bro obviously if you're looking at it from that perspective, then I agree.

People like chacha, irfan Khan niazi, shadab aren't competiton .

But genuinely speaking I have no respect for shehzad and umar akmal.

Granted Umar akmal was hard done by misbah in odi, but hafeez and other captains and leagues as well gave the guy multiple opportunities. He batted at no 4, and did get no 3 promotions as well and didn't capitalise. He doesn't have an excuse for t20.

As for shehzad, less said about his attitude the better.

My only problem is, I don't get how fans hate Umar akmal for his attitude but love babar? Babar is 100x more egotistical then umar akmal. .

As I said as generations went on the akmal khandan got more arrogant.

We went from kamran who's arrogant but keeps his ego in check, to Umar akmal a drama bazi, To Babar Azam Hahahaha . Sorry I can't stop laughing.

 

[Rana]

People like chacha, irfan Khan niazi, shadab aren't competiton

Tbf, no one is. Hafeez got his act right in the twilight of his career in this format. Malik played a different kind of role, he was never going to take the sword to the opposition seamers (if they had 3 who bowled 145kmh+). Umar Akmal was that guy. He is Pakistan’s GOAT middle order T20 player without having achieved 1/5th of what he could have

 

[Savak]

Tbf, no one is. Hafeez got his act right in the twilight of his career in this format. Malik played a different kind of role, he was never going to take the sword to the opposition seamers (if they had 3 who bowled 145kmh+). Umar Akmal was that guy. He is Pakistan’s GOAT middle order T20 player without having achieved 1/5th of what he could have

You only become a GOAT when you have performed consistently from the beginning to the end of your career. Not when you get forgetten and faded into oblivion in the last 8-9 years of your career.

 

[Flat_Track_Bully]

Umar Akmal is the most naturally talented batter since Saeed Anwar. Very unfortunate how his career went.

 

[Rana]

You only become a GOAT when you have performed consistently from the beginning to the end of your career. Not when you get forgetten and faded into oblivion in the last 8-9 years of your career.

Who’s a better T20 middle order batter than Umar Akmal for Pakistan?

 

[ads101]

Shoaib had a good career. It’s not even a short one for a truly express bowler, it could have turned out like Bond.

Umar was a loss of talent. Umar peaked at the start of his career and generally got worse over time.

Put way too much pressure on him when he didn’t have maturity at an early age. He wasn’t like Babar in terms of maturity.

I think had we debuted him slightly later when he matured a bit and criticised him less he would have been fine. The pressure and criticism destroyed him.

 

[Rana]

Put way too much pressure on him when he didn’t have maturity at an early age. He wasn’t like Babar in terms of maturity

Babar has never had 1% of the courage Umar had either

 

[cricketmania22]

Who’s a better T20 middle order batter than Umar Akmal for Pakistan?

T20 isn’t a benchmark to judge a player. Batsman are judged on their Test and ODI performances. Anyone can hack a few T20 innings here and there.