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[VIDEO] Time for an Umar Akmal return to the Test squad?

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Bullet Drive

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People think this is ridiculous, but they refuse to look at the stats.

The facts are, that test cricket is the best format for Umar Akmal. Look at his first-class record. He averages 45. And his strike rate is 74!!!

He has 2 first-class hundreds in Australia against quality bowling. He also has a first class 100 in England against Kent.

He is one guy who can play fast bowling with ease.

His recent form has been amazing.

In the 2018 Quaid e Azam final, he scored a match winning century.

In this season, he has been in great form.

Nobody will forgive Misbah for robbing Umar of a test career.

Umar averaged 35 whilst playing all his tests in tough conditions of NZ, ENG, AUS and WI. All whilst he was 19/20.

He has been extremely unlucky. Even till this day, despite Shafiq having had a run of 10 consecutive years, he only averages 3 runs more than Umar, and still has had countless innings on the flat decks of the UAE.
 
Why are you assuming Umar Akmal would have been able to score on the so called flat decks of UAE when he has the shorter concentration span than that of a gold fish and when he has failed to play long innings’ in ODIs in UAE despite often getting ample number of overs to play.

He has been ok this season but in the period he was out of the team he had one FC century in seven years or sth so it’s hardly a case of him being hard done by.
 
Umar Akmal can replace Shafiq.

Fawad can replace Iftikhar.

Would be a good new look middle order.
 
2016 first class season he scored a century and 2 50's in 3 innings. Averaged 58

2017 first class season he scored 2 centuries. Averaged 37

2018 first class season he scored 2 centuries(1 in final). Averaged 40

Current season he is averaging 53. 1 century. 4 fifties in 10 innings.

He deserves selection.

We often speak about 'selecting players for wrong format'

We should apply same logic to Umar Akmal.
 
Umar Akmal averaged 93 when he played first-class games in Australia.

He played 4 innings. Scored 2 hundreds and 1 50.
 
Bullet Drive said:
2016 first class season he scored a century and 2 50's in 3 innings. Averaged 58

2017 first class season he scored 2 centuries. Averaged 37

2018 first class season he scored 2 centuries(1 in final). Averaged 40

Current season he is averaging 53. 1 century. 4 fifties in 10 innings.

He deserves selection.

We often speak about 'selecting players for wrong format'

We should apply same logic to Umar Akmal.
Click to expand...

What number has he been batting at?
 
Relic said:
He'd actually fit in perfectly at no.5 or 6.
He can't possibly be worse than Shafiq
Click to expand...


The difference between Umar and Shafiq is

Umar will score a 50 and get out to a bad shot

Asad will score a 29 and get out caught behind or in the slips.

But Misbah and fans would generally prefer Shafiq.
 
Bullet Drive said:
The difference between Umar and Shafiq is

Umar will score a 50 and get out to a bad shot

Asad will score a 29 and get out caught behind or in the slips.

But Misbah and fans would generally prefer Shafiq.
Click to expand...

Umar will score 15 and get out to a bad shot.

Lol at him scoring 50
 
If he does return, it should be for one series and that's that. There's no reason to persist with guys like him but the fans and the board never learn.
 
The other Umar, Amin would be a better choice.He should replace Azhar at # 3 .
 
Why not?

But then the forum will be in a meltdown if he fails even in his comeback series.
 
It's Taboo to even talk about Umar here. We are blessed with legends like Asad and Azhar who are proper batsmen unlike Umar. lol

It's pathetic people can digest giving countless chances to these duckary batsmen than try out of the box other fc deserving batsmen.
 
Sir-fraz said:
This thread happens ever other month. The answer is always NO
Click to expand...
which is why Azhar and Asad have linger on their test career despite pathetic averages. In Pakistan cricket you have to be a nice acha bacha like Asad and Azhar to get a chance to play.
 
MRSN said:
which is why Azhar and Asad have linger on their test career despite pathetic averages. In Pakistan cricket you have to be a nice acha bacha like Asad and Azhar to get a chance to play.
Click to expand...

Umar Akmal is not better than Asad or Azhar.
 
Mohammad Hafeez? i am not sure if he has retired from tests. He sure would have made some runs on these flat decks i suppose. or Salman butt for that matter
 
He does deserve a return

A few series

But that depends on domestic performance
 
Shazzam said:
Umar Akmal is not better than Asad or Azhar.
Click to expand...

It's something you can argue when he gets a chance to pile up runs on phatta wickets too. Asad poultry farm Shafiq and Azhar have piled up 70 percent of their runs on phatta wickets because I have seen them to be missing when ever they were presented with a tough challenge. Doesn't matter how good they are because they never play match winning or match changing innings.
 
MRSN said:
It's something you can argue when he gets a chance to pile up runs on phatta wickets too. Asad poultry farm Shafiq and Azhar have piled up 70 percent of their runs on phatta wickets because I have seen them to be missing when ever they were presented with a tough challenge. Doesn't matter how good they are because they never play match winning or match changing innings.
Click to expand...

Asad and Azhar are not good and they deserve to be dropped. But picking Umar Akmal is not the answer. We are going back to playing musical chairs if we pick him. Instead of him why not someone new?
 
I'd rather have Kamran Akmal

Umar seems to have significant mental issues, we just saw him a few months ago vs SL and it didn't look like he had made any progress.
 
Umar was deservedly recalled.

Dropped after a meltdown in the media, the forum was also in angry mode abusing and what not. Just for failing in the comeback series.

It's wrong to not give him chances beyond the come back series. But imagine what will happen if he gets selected for Tests.

Imagine the wrist slitting and meltdown.
 
I would have played him in AUS for sure. No data crunching, past record, attitude judgment, mujra appetite ....... my only logic is - PAK is playing Test match in Australia with Imam, Shan, Haris, Asad, Ifti as batsman while Azhar Captain ..... FGS!!!!!!!

Umar averages 36 for 999 runs, entire career outside Asia and if I take out his last innings in ZIM - I believe that average will reach 38. Which current PAK batsman including Babar has better record outside Asia than this?
 
I agree. I would even give Shehzad opportunities in tests. Pakistan has been missing a trick by selecting these two badmashes in the wrong formats. It may sound ironic given its them but test cricket is where they belong.
 
hafizexpress said:
I agree. I would even give Shehzad opportunities in tests. Pakistan has been missing a trick by selecting these two badmashes in the wrong formats. It may sound ironic given its them but test cricket is where they belong.
Click to expand...

Same Shehzad who has scored THREE consecutive ducks in a row in his last three FC innings?
 
He is no different than current fellas in squad. Is he the best Pakistan got?
 
Why do we also go keep going in a circle ? If the likes of Azhar and Asad have to dropped then would it not make sense to replace them with fresh faces rather TTFs?

The likes of Usman Salahuddin and Saad Ali would be better picks then going back to the Akmals.
 
Hawkeye said:
Umar was deservedly recalled.

Dropped after a meltdown in the media, the forum was also in angry mode abusing and what not. Just for failing in the comeback series.

It's wrong to not give him chances beyond the come back series. But imagine what will happen if he gets selected for Tests.

Imagine the wrist slitting and meltdown.
Click to expand...

Can you name some of his memorable performances after his comeback?

I'll even take a glorious cover drive after his comeback.
 
Dr_Bassim said:
Can you name some of his memorable performances after his comeback?

I'll even take a glorious cover drive after his comeback.
Click to expand...

He got out on first bowl in both matches and you have to give a benefit of doubt to batsman on getting out on very first ball.

Umar Akmal shouldn't have been recalled in T20 but ODIs so there was no pressure of run-rate.

Misbah handled him poorly in 2013 when he preferred Asad Shafiq over Umar Akmal. Umar Akmal should have been part of the Australia series as his best performance has always come against them. He had a very good A tour of Australia before he made debut.

We do not have anyone who can play the pacers well and Umar Akmal is the only one who has done decent.

In my opinion, he deserves a chance to make a comeback in the Test cricket too.
 
Seriously what’s with the constant Umar Akmal debate . After another failure on recall his fans now trying to justify how great he could have been in test matches .

I’m sure he would have been picked for test matches had he performed consistently in white ball cricket for Pakistan . His indiscipline, bad attitude and ability to play long innings have meant he deservedly never got a test recall.

People go on about his test career . He did that when he was 19-20. Just like he scored a century in his second Odi match . After that he never performed at that level .

I also think he would have struggled in UAE . He struggles with spin and his ODI average in UAE is barely 30.

One last point, before he was dropped from the test side Akmal scored only 2 50s In his last 23 test innings . He was on a downward slump
 
Dr_Bassim said:
Can you name some of his memorable performances after his comeback?

I'll even take a glorious cover drive after his comeback.
Click to expand...

That's the point. He failed in the come back series. And was immediately dropped after the backlash.

Just one series isn't enough.
 
If ever this was to happen, the time has passed. The only team Umar Akmal during his first entry looked like he could do something special against was vs Australia. The numbers might be against this, but watching his first year or so, always got this feeling only vs Aus. He always was terrible vs India and never looked like he was going to score.
 
Umar isn’t a test player neither he can play ODis
Maximum T20s that’s it
 
Umar Akmal should be captain, chief selector and team manager.
He’s so handsome
 
Kamran would solve our opening problem,
Umar our middle order problem
Adman our wicket keeping problem.

Our country needs the Akmals
 
MMHS said:
I would have played him in AUS for sure. No data crunching, past record, attitude judgment, mujra appetite ....... my only logic is - PAK is playing Test match in Australia with Imam, Shan, Haris, Asad, Ifti as batsman while Azhar Captain ..... FGS!!!!!!!

Umar averages 36 for 999 runs, entire career outside Asia and if I take out his last innings in ZIM - I believe that average will reach 38. Which current PAK batsman including Babar has better record outside Asia than this?
Click to expand...

In England, SA, NZ, West Indies, and Australia

Umar Akmal - average of 37
Misbah - average of 35
Babar - average of 35
Azhar - average of 32
Shan - average of 30
Shafiq - average of 29
 
0 (1) today in QEA.

If he got into the top 5 or 10 run-scorers, he might be in contention. Though he has played lesser games to be fair.
 
Yes, Umar got robbed of a test career in favour of Shafiq who was the acha baccha as mentioned on another thread.

However, he is finished now. And recalling him is a backward step. He is overweight and probably doesn't even have the fitness for test cricket. He is the last person we'll go to if PCB is even serious of reviving next decade of test cricket.
 
In Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, West Indies

Umar Akmal(21 at the time) - 14 tests. 984 runs. Average of 37.84

Babar Azam(is now 25) - 14 tests. 845 runs. Average of 35.20

Umar Akmal was dropped. And Babar is considered our best batsman(which I agree with)

Why the double standards?!?!?!
[MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION] [MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION]
 
Bullet Drive said:
In Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, West Indies

Umar Akmal(21 at the time) - 14 tests. 984 runs. Average of 37.84

Babar Azam(is now 25) - 14 tests. 845 runs. Average of 35.20

Umar Akmal was dropped. And Babar is considered our best batsman(which I agree with)

Why the double standards?!?!?!

[MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION] [MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION]
Click to expand...

How much is he paying you?
 
I was afraid that BD will start campaigning for Shehzad again too.

That's what happening. Sad.

Umar deserves a chance though.
 
Hawkeye said:
I was afraid that BD will start campaigning for Shehzad again too.

That's what happening. Sad.

Umar deserves a chance though.
Click to expand...

Shehzad chased 300+ against us, at one stage he was 30 of 70 balls then scored a run a ball 100, saw a lot of tears that night. My first time In a bd stadium :afridi boom boom
 
HappyWarsFan said:
Umar Akmal can replace Shafiq.

Fawad can replace Iftikhar.

Would be a good new look middle order.
Click to expand...

Anyone but Umar Akmal zero patience and zero talent to boot. I'd rather like Saad Ali/Ashfaq Ahmed or a proper chance to Haris Sohail.
 
Ashraful_Rox said:
Shehzad chased 300+ against us, at one stage he was 30 of 70 balls then scored a run a ball 100, saw a lot of tears that night. My first time In a bd stadium :afridi boom boom
Click to expand...

Ah, so this was you. :batman:

images
 
Another series lost and another Akmal thread. Our fans are as pathetic as our team.
 
Hawkeye said:
I'll give you the realistic openers. Abid and Sami/Imam.

Shehzad doesn't have a place.
Click to expand...

Abid Ali who can't even average above 40 in first-class cricket? Same Abid Ali who has such technical weakness, where his back foot moves to leg-side every time he plays a shot? The English bowlers exposed his technique within 1 over, when he played an ODI in England.

Sami Aslam is a terrible batsman. Selfish. Low strike rate every innings. Failed in his last few tests. Was rightfully dropped. Imam will only work in UAE.
 
Bullet Drive said:
In Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, West Indies

Umar Akmal(21 at the time) - 14 tests. 984 runs. Average of 37.84

Babar Azam(is now 25) - 14 tests. 845 runs. Average of 35.20

Umar Akmal was dropped. And Babar is considered our best batsman(which I agree with)

Why the double standards?!?!?!

[MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION] [MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION]
Click to expand...

Since you asked ...

No, there is no double standard, rather it's what we call expectation management.

When Umar had those stats, PAK genuinely was among top 3-5 teams and the difference with top teams was not that wide. More importantly, like a boxing match, PAK had the ability to throw a KO punch even from well behind point. That was the period (UA's Test career), when PAK won 2 Tests against AUS & ENG in UK with a lineup almost like minor compared current AUS squad perceived, won an ICC T20 WC, made another SF, made a CT SF and so on. More importantly, they could beat any opponent on their day in an active rubber (means not against like squads which earned PAK a T20 Rank 1). So, the expectation from UAkmal was compared with his contemporaries from other like to like teams - Kohli, Williamson, Root .... even AdV, and guy indeed failed to meet the expectation.

Today, PAK fans are like sinking people in mid sea - will grab on to a piece of straw, if it comes to hand. I can elaborate the situation, but I guess won't be required - I didn't write it in PP for obvious reasons, but I told it to one of my Pakistani friend (and someone who knows me very well, my motives as well) - If PAK can make AUS bat three times (yes three times - in the series), consider it as success. This morning he called me ... "yaar, batting two times to shahi hai, magar tu bataya nahin kitney wicktu ke cost per .....Shukar hai, Yaser at least made sure that Warner would have required to bat again ......".

Barrel to kya, puri barn empty lag raha hai .......................................... It'll be stupidity of highest order if Misbah doesn't consider Umar & Shehzad for SRL series, probably Amin as well - trust me.
 
Last edited:
Bullet Drive said:
In Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, West Indies

Umar Akmal(21 at the time) - 14 tests. 984 runs. Average of 37.84

Babar Azam(is now 25) - 14 tests. 845 runs. Average of 35.20

Umar Akmal was dropped. And Babar is considered our best batsman(which I agree with)

Why the double standards?!?!?!

[MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION] [MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION]
Click to expand...

Wow, excellent point made man!!

Fully expect experts here to ignore the stats and attack you with irrelevant gibberish.
 
MMHS said:
Since you asked ...

No, there is no double standard, rather it's what we call expectation management.

When Umar had those stats, PAK genuinely was among top 3-5 teams and the difference with top teams was not that wide. More importantly, like a boxing match, PAK had the ability to throw a KO punch even from well behind point. That was the period (UA's Test career), when PAK won 2 Tests against AUS & ENG in UK with a lineup almost like minor compared current AUS squad perceived, won an ICC T20 WC, made another SF, made a CT SF and so on. More importantly, they could beat any opponent on their day in an active rubber (means not against like squads which earned PAK a T20 Rank 1). So, the expectation from UAkmal was compared with his contemporaries from other like to like teams - Kohli, Williamson, Root .... even AdV, and guy indeed failed to meet the expectation.

Today, PAK fans are like sinking people in mid sea - will grab on to a piece of straw, if it comes to hand. I can elaborate the situation, but I guess won't be required - I didn't write it in PP for obvious reasons, but I told it to one of my Pakistani friend (and someone who knows me very well, my motives as well) - If PAK can make AUS bat three times (yes three times - in the series), consider it as success. This morning he called me ... "yaar, batting two times to shahi hai, magar tu bataya nahin kitney wicktu ke cost per .....Shukar hai, Yaser at least made sure that Warner would have required to bat again ......".

Barrel to kya, puri barn empty lag raha hai .......................................... It'll be stupidity of highest order if Misbah doesn't consider Umar & Shehzad for SRL series, probably Amin as well - trust me.
Click to expand...

It is always a pleasure to read your posts even when I don't agree with it.
 
Bullet Drive said:
In Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, West Indies

Umar Akmal(21 at the time) - 14 tests. 984 runs. Average of 37.84

Babar Azam(is now 25) - 14 tests. 845 runs. Average of 35.20

Umar Akmal was dropped. And Babar is considered our best batsman(which I agree with)

Why the double standards?!?!?!

[MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION] [MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION]
Click to expand...

These stats do look really good for a 21 year old who played all his test oversees. But it’s clear that he’s regressed quite a bit since then.

Yes he’s scored runs in domestics but he’s looked comical when he’s played internationals for Pakistan’s in the last few years.

His first class stats from the last couple of years do look good so I wouldn’t mind him being given a chance but I would have my reservations about him.
 
Bullet Drive said:
In Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, West Indies

Umar Akmal(21 at the time) - 14 tests. 984 runs. Average of 37.84

Babar Azam(is now 25) - 14 tests. 845 runs. Average of 35.20

Umar Akmal was dropped. And Babar is considered our best batsman(which I agree with)

Why the double standards?!?!?!

[MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION] [MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION]
Click to expand...

Till this day I don't know why he was dropped.
What was the reason given?
 
Bullet Drive said:
In Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, West Indies

Umar Akmal(21 at the time) - 14 tests. 984 runs. Average of 37.84

Babar Azam(is now 25) - 14 tests. 845 runs. Average of 35.20

Umar Akmal was dropped. And Babar is considered our best batsman(which I agree with)

Why the double standards?!?!?!

[MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION] [MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION]
Click to expand...

No one can say it was bias against the akmals after Umar, Kamran, and Adnan have played so many matches. Heck even Babar is related to them. So technically being an Akmal has some advantages, perhaps if Babar wasnt related to them he wouldnt have been picked consistently at the under 19 level, and would not have developed into our best batsman today.

If it isnt bias against Akmal clan, then what is it that led to Umar Akmal's dropping?

By all accounts, Umar has attitude issues among other issues.

If Kevin Petierson was dropped by England, who is Umar akmal?

He needs to learn to conform to accepted behaviour, or the other option is to become such a big star where he is undroppable (I.e. shahid afridi).

If he cant do one of these two things, I am afraid the fault is totally his for being dropped.

BTW, despite all of his issues he has still played 16 tests, 121 ODIs, and 84 t20is.

If after all of these chances he still comes back and scores back to back ducks, does he deserve more chances regardless of the format?

He has zero ability to handle pressure and that alone should disqualify him from being selected for tests no matter what stats you are presenting from a decade ago.
 
Kusal Perera averages 31 in test cricket however he changed the history for Srilankan cricket by that one knock against SA and shifting the momentum. Perera isnt much of a genius or a planner too.

I dont mind having atleast one free flowing batsmen in the test team and if Umer Akmal is fit and mentally stable than why not, its not like the batsmen currently in the team are setting the world on fire. Also unfortunately there arent many dominating batsmen currently in domestic cricket.

Not sure about Akmal in Sub continental conditions where spinners play a major role and other batsmen can also do a job but in overseas tests he is definitely worth the risk as in Aus and SA other batsmen also fall like house of cards, with Umar Akmal there is atleast a hope of maybe a Perera kind of knock in his career.
 
Am tired of the Shafiqs and Azhars of Pakistan team.

So yeah Umar Akmal or anyone else would do for now...

I actually think his back foot game is decent. Cant do worse than the current lot, thats for sure.
 
Bullet Drive said:
In Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, West Indies

Umar Akmal(21 at the time) - 14 tests. 984 runs. Average of 37.84

Babar Azam(is now 25) - 14 tests. 845 runs. Average of 35.20

Umar Akmal was dropped. And Babar is considered our best batsman(which I agree with)

Why the double standards?!?!?!

[MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION] [MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION]
Click to expand...

I agree, but I’m flustered by yesterday’s golden duck added to the two ducks against Sri Lanka.

I know that he is Pakistan’s second best batsman and that he would have done well in Australia.

And I agree that he is the subject of outrageous criticism even within this forum.

But yes, like Warner and De Kock he has personality issues. I suspect that if you want a functioning Umar Akmal in the Test team - which is his real format, always was - then the way to get it is to make his cousin Babar the skipper.

I think that Umar’s mind would then be focussed by a fear of looking inferior to his little cousin.
 
You guys say the pcb is corrupt and we can’t get rid of the akmal cancer from pcb but look at pakpassion they still want that incurable cancer of the akmals team over and over again can mods please delete any thread related to akmal being on the team again pleas enough is enough
 
No other Pakistani player gets as much attention on PakPassion as Umar akmal , that too based on a one hit performance a decade ago
 
Bullet Drive said:
Abid Ali who can't even average above 40 in first-class cricket? Same Abid Ali who has such technical weakness, where his back foot moves to leg-side every time he plays a shot? The English bowlers exposed his technique within 1 over, when he played an ODI in England.

Sami Aslam is a terrible batsman. Selfish. Low strike rate every innings. Failed in his last few tests. Was rightfully dropped. Imam will only work in UAE.
Click to expand...

Sami Aslam was among the best batsmen in QeA trophy this season. Chill.
 
gazza619 said:
Am tired of the Shafiqs and Azhars of Pakistan team.

So yeah Umar Akmal or anyone else would do for now...

I actually think his back foot game is decent. Cant do worse than the current lot, thats for sure.
Click to expand...

"....and so the musical chairs in Pakistan cricket continued."
 
Hawkeye said:
Sami Aslam was among the best batsmen in QeA trophy this season. Chill.
Click to expand...

Yes, on the flattest wickets in the World.

Sami has the ability to be a top batsman, he showed that in England, but he's far too negative as a batsman. Misses out on so many half volleys. Even saw him defending full tosses at times.

+ he's almost 30 now.
 
Bullet Drive said:
Yes, on the flattest wickets in the World.

Sami has the ability to be a top batsman, he showed that in England, but he's far too negative as a batsman. Misses out on so many half volleys. Even saw him defending full tosses at times.

+ he's almost 30 now.
Click to expand...

Not nearly as negative as Shan Masood! Who is the most timid cricketer I've seen after playing 34 Test innings.

Sami showed his class in England and just needed confidence. That wasn't given to him, he has potential to do much better that Shan can't even come close.
 
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