Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad - The Return of the Chosen Ones?

[Slog]

When these two were dropped last year after almost 10 years of non-performance, terrible behaviour and embarrassing antics I’d thought that this drop would be for good because they’d just gone too far and the team management was sick of them.

However today there’s one again talk of them being recalled.

The funny thing is: there is absolutely no cricketing reason for their recall. But things work in such a way in Pakistan that the longer you are out of the squad the better your reputation becomes by virtue of just being out of squad

 

[BreadPakoda]

The funny thing is: there is absolutely no cricketing reason for their recall. But things work in such a way in Pakistan that the longer you are out of the squad the better your reputation becomes by virtue of just being out of squad

Said it very well. Sums up the selection procedure employed most of the times.

 

[Zakaz]

The funny thing is: there is absolutely no cricketing reason for their recall. But things work in such a way in Pakistan that the longer you are out of the squad the better your reputation becomes by virtue of just being out of squad

Absolutely hit the nail on the head. We Pakistanis have a habit of over-hyping players who are not in the team just because they are not in the team. Literally happens everytime.

 

[Junaids]

When these two were dropped last year after almost 10 years of non-performance, terrible behaviour and embarrassing antics I’d thought that this drop would be for good because they’d just gone too far and the team management was sick of them.

However today there’s one again talk of them being recalled.

The funny thing is: there is absolutely no cricketing reason for their recall. But things work in such a way in Pakistan that the longer you are out of the squad the better your reputation becomes by virtue of just being out of squad

Pardon?

Forget Ahmed Shehzad - he's never done anything in Tests.

But in the last decade, Umar Akmal has the best record of any Pakistan batsman in England, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

His decade of non-performance is basically a complete untruth. He only played Test cricket for 22 months and hasn't played a Test for 7 and a half years.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Pardon?

Forget Ahmed Shehzad - he's never done anything in Tests.

But in the last decade, Umar Akmal has the best record of any Pakistan batsman in England, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

His decade of non-performance is basically a complete untruth. He only played Test cricket for 22 months and hasn't played a Test for 7 and a half years.

I agree. Just like Salman Butt was the best Pakistani batsman in Australia the previous decade. Umar Akmals career was destroyed by Waqar Younis who had a personal vendetta against him. Otherwise he would have become the GOAT Asian batsman in England, SA,NZ,OZ.

 

[Junaids]

I agree. Just like Salman Butt was the best Pakistani batsman in Australia the previous decade. Umar Akmals career was destroyed by Waqar Younis who had a personal vendetta against him. Otherwise he would have become the GOAT Asian batsman in England, SA,NZ,OZ.

But in the last ten years in Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa.

Umar Akmal's record is better than Younis Khan's.

Umar Akmal's record is better than Misbah-ul-Haq.

Umar Akmal's record is better than Azhar Ali.

Umar Akmal's record is better than Asad Shafiq.

I'm not comparing him to Tendulkar or Kohli. I'm saying that he was better than the people who took his place.

(Yes, the younger Younis Khan was better than Umar Akmal. But when Umar Akmal was dropped in 2011, Younis Khan was already 36 years old and had lost his consistency).

 

[Sunny_majoka]

Pcb has invested alot in both and one of them should be back in the team now.
I will choose Ahmad shehzad. (Because he is fitter than akmal)
He is clearly better than imam. Both in test and odi.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

But in the last ten years in Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa.

Umar Akmal's record is better than Younis Khan's.

Umar Akmal's record is better than Misbah-ul-Haq.

Umar Akmal's record is better than Azhar Ali.

Umar Akmal's record is better than Asad Shafiq.

I'm not comparing him to Tendulkar or Kohli. I'm saying that he was better than the people who took his place.

(Yes, the younger Younis Khan was better than Umar Akmal. But when Umar Akmal was dropped in 2011, Younis Khan was already 36 years old and had lost his consistency).

He's atleast not gonna be worse than Shafiq I suppose. At least he can slog his way to a 50 .

 

[Junaids]

He's atleast not gonna be worse than Shafiq I suppose. At least he can slog his way to a 50 .

That's what batting in South Africa is all about.

You use an Elgar or an Azhar Ali to blunt the new ball.

And then you attack the old ball and try to get to 300 before the second new ball finishes you off.

 

[MMHS]

After WC, there'll be a mass clean in PCT, and I am sure Umar will make a come back. He might come back in Test as well - his FC record is better than most playing Tests for PAK without any accountability. He should never had been out of T20 side.

 

[LordEddardStark]

I can't believe this. Round and round we go. If people at PP are convinced about their imminent return, why to blame PCB then.

 

[Justcrazy]

Umar Akmal was ideal opener for 20 20 as well as OD.

 

[Hasan123]

Both will play for Pakistan again. We need to get over it.

 

[ARK Rafay]

Well cycle continues. And players like Fawad, Saad, Saud, Sadaf, Gohar, Asghar, Mir Hamza will retire playing domestic.

Pathetic PCB

 

[Shaka81]

No not the gruesome twosome. Both terrible cricketers with attitude problems. Exactly what the team doesn't need right now so expect the PCB and their clueless selector to recall them and then watch them fail... just in time for the heroic recall of Asad Shafiq and his crew of mediocrity. In an endless cycle of failure.

 

[YousafTheBeast]

Shahzad in Talat out
UAkmal in Asif Ali out

 

[Asif321]

Great chance for Umar Akmal to perform for Quetta under Sarfraz
Which will make him easier to get in team
Shahzad not sure

 

[Greenstorm]

Umar should come back and Malik should be kicked out. Umar will be needed in Australia.

 

[a_tahir]

Never want to see Shahzad back plus he isn't even performing.
But umar akmal's performing and is a decent middle order batsman. Would have him over malik or talat.

 

[Rana]

Pardon?

Forget Ahmed Shehzad - he's never done anything in Tests.

But in the last decade, Umar Akmal has the best record of any Pakistan batsman in England, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

His decade of non-performance is basically a complete untruth. He only played Test cricket for 22 months and hasn't played a Test for 7 and a half years.

OP would rather have Khurram Manzoor return to fix batting issues before anyone elss

 

[fluke]

I am afraid Sarfraz will not give umar Akmal chance as if umar will perform captains place can be in danger as everyone knows that umar can kee the wickets as well

but that is true that we need umar Akmal back as soon as possible

 

[moghul]

Lets see how they play in PSL and then make a call.

 

[GoUgandaCranes]

Umar Akmal was an okay T20 player. It's just that he pushes the self-destruct button way too often. He could have become the wicket-keeping batsman that we have been crying for in the shorter format of the game. An opener or one down would suit his kind of game. Come in, slog a few get 20 (10) and then see where it goes from that.

On his day could have made a handy 40 or 50. Say whatever about him but the guy had the ability to play some audacious strokes even if they weren't that frequent.

He is, even with his self-destruction tendencies, better than Asif Ali and Talat who literally should be told to go back to domestic cricket.

 

[a_tahir]

I am afraid Sarfraz will not give umar Akmal chance as if umar will perform captains place can be in danger as everyone knows that umar can kee the wickets as well

but that is true that we need umar Akmal back as soon as possible

But umar akmal doesn't want to keep.

 

[moghul]

Great signs for future of cricket in Pakistan, people are missing U Akmal and Shehzad and want them back, God mercy.

 

[Hyperion66]

Shahzad in Talat out
UAkmal in Asif Ali out

Not sure about Shehzad but Umar should be brought back in ASAP, guy like Asif Ali is uber-pathetic even by club standard, Pakistani Buttler lol!!

 

[Chokli]

Rather have Umar at 3 than Talat

 

[Rana]

Not sure why the OP is obsessed, hates certain individuals that are from one region! Umar Akmal and Shahzad are nowhere near the team, they are down and out yet OP has to drag their name into a thread just to remind everyone that they are classified as useless.

 

[Haroon786]

Definitely think Umar has a place in the T20I team, there are several batting spots where he can be a better player compared to those already in the team.

 

[Prince of Pakistan]

Umar Akmal needs a phenomenal PSL to get in the team. It's his ONLY hope. Inzi doesn't care about domestic stats.

Will he shine for Quetta under Moin's tutelage?

 

[a_tahir]

Umar Akmal needs a phenomenal PSL to get in the team. It's his ONLY hope. Inzi doesn't care about domestic stats.

Will he shine for Quetta under Moin's tutelage?

He's playing really well in domestic cricket.
He said that he has fixed his attitude problems and has improved his batting after being axed from the team.

 

[a_tahir]

Not sure why the OP is obsessed, hates certain individuals that are from one region! Umar Akmal and Shahzad are nowhere near the team, they are down and out yet OP has to drag their name into a thread just to remind everyone that they are classified as useless.

Just look at our middle order.
Umar akmal is more than likely to be in the team

 

[Prince of Pakistan]

He's playing really well in domestic cricket.
He said that he has fixed his attitude problems and has improved his batting after being axed from the team.

He can say what he wants, but needs to show some consistent performances.

He needs to win that purple cap in the PSL otherwise Mickey will just ignore him. His few innings will do nothing.

 

[a_tahir]

He can say what he wants, but needs to show some consistent performances.

He needs to win that purple cap in the PSL otherwise Mickey will just ignore him. His few innings will do nothing.

Moin khan has been saying that the reason he selected u.akmal in quetta's squad was to get him back on track. He will get all of the games according to moin.
Is mickey the head coach of Quetta or was that karachi?
If so then that is a good sign

 

[Darkrai]

We will see how the chosen ones do in PSL. However, do not forget they were selected because of their PSL performance in the past, but of course they failed miserably.

 

[Prince of Pakistan]

Moin khan has been saying that the reason he selected u.akmal in quetta's squad was to get him back on track. He will get all of the games according to moin.
Is mickey the head coach of Quetta or was that karachi?
If so then that is a good sign

Mickey coaches the Karachi Kings.

So if Umar top scores in the PSL Mickey will not be able to ignore him.

 

[moghul]

Why not add Umar Amin to Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad.

 

[Abdullah]

Umar has a spot for T20. Number 3
Not shehzad and we take it from there

Fakhar
Babar
Umar

Looks ok

 

[indianpanacea]

In onedayers against Australia Umar akmal should make a comeback
Babar
Imam
U.Amin
U. Akmal
Saud shakeel
Hafeez
Sarfaraz
Hassan ali
Shahdab
Shaheen afridi
Junaid khan
Reserves
Zaffar Gowhar
Mohd ilyas
Naseem shah

 

[Slog]

Not sure why the OP is obsessed, hates certain individuals that are from one region! Umar Akmal and Shahzad are nowhere near the team, they are down and out yet OP has to drag their name into a thread just to remind everyone that they are classified as useless.

Lol why were you so touchy about this

 

[big_gamer007]

I hope they come back, they bring much needed character to Pakistani team and PP as well.

 

[Nasty Naz]

I hope they come back, they bring much needed character to Pakistani team and PP as well.

Is this a serious comment?

Shehzad international career in LOI is pretty much done. He's been awful consistently for a long time and there's better and even youngere options coming up.

Akmal will probably still find himself on T20 teams but he doesn't have much use other than that.

 

[Rana]

Lol why were you so touchy about this

Why are you so insecure about them?

 

[Savak]

Umar Akmal won't be getting any chances if the team management has Misbah ul Haq and Waqar Younis

 

[Tintin_FTW]

Just quietly Ahmed Shehzad had a very good PSL and a good Pakistan Cup. With Fakhar struggling to clear the inner circle he might not be far away from a call up.

 

[sweep_shot]

Umar Akmal's ODI career is probably finished. Pakistan's ODI team looks settled with the arrivals of Haris, Imad, Babar etc.

 

[nextover666666]

These two will always have find a way back I think we might see something like this I'm not saying I want this to happen just something I see happening

Shehzad comes back to t20 and test team

Akmal comes back to ODI and t20 team

 

[Sunny_majoka]

One of them can be chosen if ahmad shehzad gift his body to UA..

 

[Slog]

Good times are back

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

Lolz. These two are representation of our past few years' game plan.

Tried and tested failures being recycled again'n'again.

At a time when a potential atg like Rohit Sharma has to perform and score 100s to justify his selection; we are recycling Akmals and Shahzads

Do Pakistan even wanna have a chance in next ODI/T20 world cup?

 

[sweep_shot]

I am still scratching my head why Pakistan went back to Akmal and Shehzad. They were such a fantastic T20 side and a reasonably well ODI side.

Don't fix something that is not broken.

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

I am still scratching my head why Pakistan went back to Akmal and Shehzad. They were such a fantastic T20 side and a reasonably well ODI side.

Because we are targeting bottom 3 rankings )

 

[The Viper]

Safaraz Ahmed in his post match presser:

"As far as the topic of Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad is concerned, previously they have had good performances in domestic season and also done well in PSL"

"As I had said before, whichever players we bring into the squad will be given adequate chances"

"They are good players and will perform well in the future"

 

[SARJ_BD]

I want to meet those people who says that "Umar Akmal has talent".

If having talent means failing repeatedly than I would rather fill my team with zero talents.

- He failed against WI when Mickey Arthur gave him a go during 2017
- He failed during 2019 Australia series as well

Yes he has talent!

 

[RyanRyan10]

There are 85 teams in t20i rankings so they won't fall that low for sure

 

[Boycottisno2]

Umar Akmal is a tried and tested failure

 

[Plumb]

All the Akmal fans are running away for next couple games. Welll.....they might as well keep running because this pathetic individual will remain pathetic, as they say you can’t fix stupid.

 

[sweep_shot]

I want to meet those people who says that "Umar Akmal has talent".

If having talent means failing repeatedly than I would rather fill my team with zero talents.

- He failed against WI when Mickey Arthur gave him a go during 2017
- He failed during 2019 Australia series as well

Yes he has talent!

Kamran Akmal was more talented than Umar Akmal. I never understood the hype for this guy.

There are at least 10 Pakistani batsmen who did much better than Umar over the past 10 years.

Overrated is the right word to describe him.

 

[Noman]

Misbah ul haq You selection is diagracefull and disgusting

 

[big_gamer007]

Is this a serious comment?

Shehzad international career in LOI is pretty much done. He's been awful consistently for a long time and there's better and even youngere options coming up.

Akmal will probably still find himself on T20 teams but he doesn't have much use other than that.

You were saying? Glad to see both Akmal and Shehzad back in the team.
Pakistani team is interesting once again.

 

[Mobashir]

Ahmed Shehzad should have never returned. It just feels like we forget how bad he is after every year.

We have a decent/good option in Fakhar Zaman and he should continue.

On the other hand, Umar Akmal has done great things at the international level in T20 internationals. Overall he was a mix bag but he can have another chance. At least he has shown in the past that he can do something.

 

[SensiblePakFan]

Please misbah, get rid of them

 

[Mainul]

Umar Akmal the Golden boy... ufff... What a player, two golden ducks....

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Not the comebacks that Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal wanted. Between them so far in the T20I series:<br><br>Innings 4<br>Runs 17<br>Strike rate 62.96<br>Average 4.25<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PAKvSL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PAKvSL</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1181262776997687297?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[MenInG]

Misbah-ul-Haq speaking in post match presser:

"These 2 players in all forms of cricket over the last year: Ahmed Shehzad's performance in PSL was excellent. Umar Akmal's performance in all formats in domestic cricket was very good. Unfortunately in our circuit, we have no other batsman in T20s who gave performances like these"

"I think that any player who is out of the team should get a chance again if he performs. We gave that chance on that basis. OK, they didn't perform. All we can do is to give them a chance. Obviously I am answerable but to make a team, you need some time and to do that, you do some experiments. Only then do you get the answers to your questions. A lot of things are in front of us and we need to find solutions"

 

[Chief Destroyer]

The return of the lafangay. These two are more worried about how they look on the field than actual performance.

 

[Cric_lover4487]

If Umar Akmal played for India, he would have been a ODI/T20 legend by now. No player is a finished product. Umar had genuine ability to strike the ball. Please see Kohli pre 2011 phase. He was not fluid, lacked patience and found it difficult to construct innings. Even in test cricket, it took him some time to get consistent.

 

[Usman Chadda]

Ahmed Shehzad should have never returned. It just feels like we forget how bad he is after every year.

We have a decent/good option in Fakhar Zaman and he should continue.

On the other hand, Umar Akmal has done great things at the international level in T20 internationals. Overall he was a mix bag but he can have another chance. At least he has shown in the past that he can do something.

It's been a million years since he has done something of note in a green shirt. Umar just got out for two first ball ducks, and you still say he's a mix bag? We should just throw away this garbage bag and forget the location we threw it in forever.

 

[Chief Destroyer]

If Umar Akmal played for India, he would have been a ODI/T20 legend by now. No player is a finished product. Umar had genuine ability to strike the ball. Please see Kohli pre 2011 phase. He was not fluid, lacked patience and found it difficult to construct innings. Even in test cricket, it took him some time to get consistent.

Umar has zero intelligence, so no.

 

[sweep_shot]

Another golden duck for Umar Akmal. Why do Pakistan select this guy? Easy wicket for the opponent.

 

[Slog]

If Umar Akmal played for India, he would have been a ODI/T20 legend by now. No player is a finished product. Umar had genuine ability to strike the ball. Please see Kohli pre 2011 phase. He was not fluid, lacked patience and found it difficult to construct innings. Even in test cricket, it took him some time to get consistent.

Umar is as thick as they come.

To improve and develop you need match awareness and a willingness to improve, neither of which Umar Akmal has tried to do even remotely

 

[Kroll]

They were like rabbits caught in the headlights.

 

[reversehook]

yeh toh LOL hi ho geya... wah re PCB wah...

 

[Mueez]

I wish I could beat them so hard.

If I had that talent and opportunity, I’d have made full use of it and made my country proud.

What have they done?

Smoked weed and made pictures of themselves?

 

[Haripotter]

These two big match players need to be persisted with till the worldT20 as they are destined to come good at the bigger stage unlike flat track bully kohli

 

[aloo paratha]

I seriously feel like both of them have some sort of mental illnesses.

 

[Indiafan]

If Umar Akmal played for India, he would have been a ODI/T20 legend by now. No player is a finished product. Umar had genuine ability to strike the ball. Please see Kohli pre 2011 phase. He was not fluid, lacked patience and found it difficult to construct innings. Even in test cricket, it took him some time to get consistent.

Kohli did all that by working hard himself, he worked on his fitness, he got obsessed with improving and learning. He respects the game. No one spoon fed Kohli, he did all that himself. Kohli changed after 2011. Did Umar change even in 2019?

 

[Theo_14]

Can’t believe it’s almost 2020, and I am still making a post which involves criticising Umar Akmal. Wow.

 

[sweep_shot]

Can’t believe it’s almost 2020, and I am still making a post which involves criticising Umar Akmal. Wow.

Correct. Umar Akmal is so 2012. Pakistan should move away from Akmal era.

 

[from_da_lost_dim3nsion]

Funny anecdote : Couple of months back I was talking to my younger brother about Pak Cricket team . He was saying that U akmal and A S are finished . That he doesn't see any way they can make it back into the team . I was like , this is Pakistan cricket and them guys have some serious connections. They will be back after the WC .Straight up Nostradamus moment lol . I think I can see Hafeez being made captain too now.