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"When I used to play cricket, there were no ICC awards": Umar Akmal

Major

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2023 has started, and so has Umar Akmal :ua

"When I used to play cricket, there were no ICC awards. We most credit ICC for introducing these awards. I'm really happy that Babar Azam won two trophies" - Umar Akmal

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In an interview with a Pakistani journalist on his YouTube channel, he lauded Indian fans for the respect they give to Pakistani cricketers, saying, "India mai khelna mujhe bahut acha lagta hai. Asia m khelna especially bahut acha lagta hai. Abhi tk mai Pakistan m home series itni lambi nahi khela, sirf 2 match khela hoon vo bhi T20I, usme bhi unlucky raha. Pehli pehli ball par out hota raha. India m jab khelta hoon to aisa lagta hai jaise apni country m khel raha hoon. Crowd bahut jyada respect deta hai dono teams ko. Ye nahi hai ki sirf India ko respect deta hai, vo waha jo bhi team aaye usko bahut respect dete hai. Especially Pakistani players ko bahut jyada respect milti hai. Maja aata hai waha khelne mai (I like playing in India and in Asia. I haven’t played a big series in Pakistan till date and only played in two T20Is in that also I got out for 0. Whenever I have played in India, I feel as if I’m playing in my own country. The crowd in India respects both teams; Indian fans love Pakistani players and cheer for them too."

Umar, whose last appearance for Pakistan was way back in October 2019, has recently started training again at the National High-Performance Centre in Lahore and is hopeful about making his comeback to the Pakistani team once again.

"I'm training hard, and I'll make a comeback for Pakistan once again, In Shaa Allah"

"I'm fully focused on performing well for Quetta Gladiators in the HBL Pakistan Super League. If I do well, Quetta will do well too, and if the selection committee believes I'm still good enough, I'll definitely play for Pakistan again. I want to play for my wife, my son and my daughter. I want them to see me playing in the ground and to be able to represent Pakistan once again. My wife told me that my kids would be really happy to see me wear the Pakistan jersey once again, and it motivated me,"

https://www.timesnownews.com/sports...-remark-on-indian-fans-watch-article-97475845
 
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For context, ICC awards came in 2004. And Yousuf won the test player of the year in 2006-2007.

Basically Umar Akmal thinks he deserved ICC awards maybe and didnt get them cause these awards were not there :))
 
For context, ICC awards came in 2004. And Yousuf won the test player of the year in 2006-2007.

Basically Umar Akmal thinks he deserved ICC awards maybe and didnt get them cause these awards were not there :))

He should have won emerging or young category awards circa 2009
 
Umar was quality in 2009-2011

What a wasted talent. He is still better than plenty of pretenders in the current side
 
Players who Umar Akmal in his worst physical/mental state is still better than in Pakistan (white ball cricket):

1. Shan Masood
2. Khushdil Shah
3. Mohammad Rizwan
4. Sohaib Maqsood
5. Danish Aziz
6. Saud Shaqeel
7. Iftikhar Ahmed

All of these players have been preferred to represent Pakistan more since Misbah’s influence on our cricket post MA
 
Umar was quality in 2009-2011

What a wasted talent. He is still better than plenty of pretenders in the current side

No point of talent when you can't think straight.
 
I would also argue,

Umar Akmal still has more guts to play for his team more than his personal milestones than Babar Azam has ever had in his career.
 
Players who Umar Akmal in his worst physical/mental state is still better than in Pakistan (white ball cricket):

1. Shan Masood
2. Khushdil Shah
3. Mohammad Rizwan
4. Sohaib Maqsood
5. Danish Aziz
6. Saud Shaqeel
7. Iftikhar Ahmed

All of these players have been preferred to represent Pakistan more since Misbah’s influence on our cricket post MA

8. Asif Ali too
9. Shadab Khan the middle order batsman
 
He should have won emerging or young category awards circa 2009

not really. he was exposed during the 2010 series against England. After that he just hanged in based on the so called talent.

I figured out by 2010 test series this guy isnt good enough.
 
not really. he was exposed during the 2010 series against England. After that he just hanged in based on the so called talent.

I figured out by 2010 test series this guy isnt good enough.

Wah jee wah

Babar and Rizwan win awards for T20i and ODI after having a horror show world cup and pathetic series v NZ in ODI. They were both exposed. But the standards are different for Umar Akmal who was exposed in one of the most difficult summers for batting in English cricket history lol. That too at the age of 21
 
not really. he was exposed during the 2010 series against England. After that he just hanged in based on the so called talent.

I figured out by 2010 test series this guy isnt good enough.

You give awards based on past performances not future. He was gold during that 2009 season, ahead of his contemprary Virat.
 
[MENTION=135038]Major[/MENTION] what exposure in 2010 are you talking about??

https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/batting/most_runs_career.html?id=5506;type=series

As far as I can see, Umar Akmal outscored Cook, Strauss, KP, Azhar Ali and Yousuf in the same tour. In fact, he was still Pakistan’s best batter in the series after Trott and Prior where England’s best. How can you be ‘exposed’ on a tour where Kevin Pietersen averages 23 in 4 Test matches??

I remember pitches in England that season were green. IIRC, Australia were dismissed below 100 against Pak.
 
But only Umar Akmal was exposed according to Major

A bit of discipline and what a star he could have become. During his first year he obliterated Malinga in SL and nobody had done that before to Malinga. He scored 100 of 70 odd balls.
 
A bit of discipline and what a star he could have become. During his first year he obliterated Malinga in SL and nobody had done that before to Malinga. He scored 100 of 70 odd balls.

He was brilliant in his first tour to Australia as well.
 
He was brilliant in his first tour to Australia as well.

Yeah.. I ignored that because those are always mentioned. Scored blinders against Australia in T20 WC 2010 and ODI WC 2011.
 
Safe to say Umar Akmal reads any cricket related articles. He probably made some runs on the roads they played recently. After all sarfraz came out of wilderness and outperformed others.
 
Once I called him the 'Lahore Dynamite'. Had great potential, but could not handle the fame, had attitude problems and never learned from his mistakes. Sad ending from a cricketing pov.
 
[MENTION=135038]Major[/MENTION] what exposure in 2010 are you talking about??

https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/batting/most_runs_career.html?id=5506;type=series

As far as I can see, Umar Akmal outscored Cook, Strauss, KP, Azhar Ali and Yousuf in the same tour. In fact, he was still Pakistan’s best batter in the series after Trott and Prior where England’s best. How can you be ‘exposed’ on a tour where Kevin Pietersen averages 23 in 4 Test matches??

Watch the matches and you will know. Do t beed stats. I remember that series well
 
Watch the matches and you will know. Do t beed stats. I remember that series well

I watched every match. So when do you need stats? To prove Rizwan and Babar are the greatest T20 openers in history?
 
Watch the matches and you will know. Do t beed stats. I remember that series well

Yeah agree the one knock of note was 80 odd in last test when he slogged from his hip as no one cared for the result after what transpired last evening with those stunning revelations. Easily the darkest day in Pakistan cricket.
 
Yeah agree the one knock of note was 80 odd in last test when he slogged from his hip as no one cared for the result after what transpired last evening with those stunning revelations. Easily the darkest day in Pakistan cricket.

Pietersen had one score of 80 too in which he was dropped 5 times by Pakistan fielders

Still Umar was better than KP in that series, and he was 21
 
2010-2015/16 was one of the darkest period for Pakistan. Almost no player who debuted in this era made it big. Those who were on the path were mismanaged.
 
Yeah agree the one knock of note was 80 odd in last test when he slogged from his hip as no one cared for the result after what transpired last evening with those stunning revelations. Easily the darkest day in Pakistan cricket.

He got exposed on that tour, and i knew there and than thus guys purple period is going to come to an end.

You are absolutely correct, that last day after amir and co got caught fixing no one wanted to play the game. Umar akmal played a few shots and got runs in a day where no one was interested to be out there. It was such a drag and he was able to use that oppurtunitym
 
He is on his way back - his brother is now a member of the selection committee!
 
I thought I won't hear from this genius ever again... who am I kidding this is pak and pak cricket even Inti can make a comeback and "play" for pak. Now with his Bro in setup God knows who else would be making a comeback for pak. fasten your seat belts folks....:viv_thinking
 
Umar was quality in 2009-2011

What a wasted talent. He is still better than plenty of pretenders in the current side

Better than who?

He was shambolic for quite a while before he was dropped.

The guy was a very talented player but he came across as very, very immature and grating. Why wkd a team want him in the set up?
 
A gormless idiot that started off well but lost his way quickly. He had the chance to take the batting WK in both the limited over form but stupidity got in the way and deservedly got sacked.
 
Players who Umar Akmal in his worst physical/mental state is still better than in Pakistan (white ball cricket):

1. Shan Masood
2. Khushdil Shah
3. Mohammad Rizwan
4. Sohaib Maqsood
5. Danish Aziz
6. Saud Shaqeel
7. Iftikhar Ahmed

All of these players have been preferred to represent Pakistan more since Misbah’s influence on our cricket post MA

Absolutely true.

Except Iftikhar and Saud Shakeel, as on current form they’re excellent. Saud also has good technique.

Umar Akmal is BADLY needed to kick out the likes of RIZWAN, Shan Masood, Khushdil etc.
 
Absolutely true.

Except Iftikhar and Saud Shakeel, as on current form they’re excellent. Saud also has good technique.

Umar Akmal is BADLY needed to kick out the likes of RIZWAN, Shan Masood, Khushdil etc.

Saud in ODI is a poor selection so far, he has been rightfully dropped
 
Umar had no talent.

Slog towards cow corner is not talent.

He was successful initially because teams didn't know his weaknesses.

As soon as teams worked him out, he was good for 30 off 20 only.
 
I would also argue,

Umar Akmal still has more guts to play for his team more than his personal milestones than Babar Azam has ever had in his career.

Can you please give us some examples of post 2011 Umar Akmal, where showed those guts and won matches which Babar never could in his career.

(I thinks there is a T20 match vs Australia where he played very well)

Moreover, Pakpassion will go crazy if Babar plays similar innings in a world cup must win match.

http://www.howstat.com/cricket/Statistics/Matches/MatchScorecard_T20.asp?MatchCode=0558
 
not really. he was exposed during the 2010 series against England. After that he just hanged in based on the so called talent.

I figured out by 2010 test series this guy isnt good enough.

He wasn’t exposed the pitches were tough to bat on Umar still averaged 37 outside Asia better than your good enough Asad Shafiq that Misbah thought of as a potentially decent test batsman.

Umar should have done better despite being only 21 he should’ve averaged over 40 as different times he got past 50 and got out the main issue was a lack of opportunities in the future in UAE and Asia he should have got 20 tests in these easier conditions for Asian batsmen.

Also Umar would have a strike rate near 100 as a top 4 batsman in today’s ODI cricket of flat wickets and weakened bowling attacks.

T20s similarly as an opening batsman he would have a better strike rate than our current openers.
 
Some of the shots Umar could play.. the likes of Babar, Rizwan can only dream of them. It's just sheer pity that he doesn't have the right head on his shoulders.
 
Akmal family is blot on Pakistan cricket. Their hate for Babar who they wish they could be like is not hidden.
 
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Umar was quality in 2009-2011

What a wasted talent. He is still better than plenty of pretenders in the current side

He was pretty decent in his mini comeback of 2013-2014 after the dreadful champions trophy 2013 for which he wasn’t in the team.

That 94 in the 2014 t20 WC Vs Australia was his final substantial innings since his rapid decline after the 2015 WC.

His technique regressed alongside his mindset to clobber everything over the legside.
 
Players who Umar Akmal in his worst physical/mental state is still better than in Pakistan (white ball cricket):

1. Shan Masood
2. Khushdil Shah
3. Mohammad Rizwan
4. Sohaib Maqsood
5. Danish Aziz
6. Saud Shaqeel
7. Iftikhar Ahmed

All of these players have been preferred to represent Pakistan more since Misbah’s influence on our cricket post MA

Not Iftikhar. Iftikhar has come clutch a few times now last year. With his ability he was able to punch above his weight. He’s less talented than Umar naturally, but Umar in his current level would not be able to replicate what Iftikhar did in 2022
 
"Bahut Zyada Respect Milti Hai Wahan": Pakistan Star Opens Up On Playing In India

It was way back in January 2013 when Pakistan played a bilateral series against India. The series had taken place on latter's home soil. However, the increased political tensions between the two nations after that, put the idea of another bilateral series well away. Since that series, India and Pakistan face each other only at ICC events and Asia Cup. This has definitely reduced the number of matches that used to take place between the sides before 2013, and has also affected the joy of cricket fans, who love to witness the rivalry between the two sides on the field.

Whatever happens on the nation front, but the players of both the sides have more often than not shared a cordial relationship with each other. Barring some instances, the fans of both the sides have also maintained a decorum during the matches between the arch-rivals.

Recalling the experience of playing in India on the nation's home soil, wicketkeeper-batter Umar Akmal has said that the Indian crowd gives a lot of respect to the Pakistani players.

"India mai khelna mujhe bahut acha lagta hai. Asia mein, especially, khelna bahut acha lagta hai. Abhi tak mai Pakistan mein home series itni lambi nahi khela, sirf do matches khela hoon T20, usme bhi unlucky raha. Pehli, pehli ball par out hota raha (I like playing in India and in Asia. I haven't played a big series in Pakistan till date and only played in two T20Is in that also I got out for 0)," said out-of-favour player Umar Akmal to a Pakistani journalist on latter's YouTube channel.

"India mein jab khelta hoon, aisa lagta hai jaise apni country mein khelta raha hoon. Crowd bahut jyada respect deta hai dono teams ko. Ye nahi hai ki sirf Indian team ko respect deta hai, vo waha jo bhi team aaye usko bahut respect dete hai. Especially Pakistani players ko bahut jyada respect milti hai wahan pe (in India). Maja aata hai waha par khelne mai (Whenever I have played in India, I feel as if I'm playing in my own country. The crowd in India respects both teams; Indian fans love Pakistani players and cheer for them too," Akmal added.

NDTV
 
To be honest he would have had a shot for emerging player of the year in 2009ish.

Even though the hype for him from Pakistanis was unreal, he did have flashes of a young Sehwag with his stoke play and some what of a competent defense. Unfortunately for him the defense never improved and the natural strokeplay morphed into Afridi style hacking. In fact I have seen Afridi show a lot of temperament when he was motivated.
 
When you used to play cricket you weren't so fat either
 
To be honest he would have had a shot for emerging player of the year in 2009ish.

Even though the hype for him from Pakistanis was unreal, he did have flashes of a young Sehwag with his stoke play and some what of a competent defense. Unfortunately for him the defense never improved and the natural strokeplay morphed into Afridi style hacking. In fact I have seen Afridi show a lot of temperament when he was motivated.

Despite all that he still made a double hundred in the last domestic final he played even Pakistan’s best batsmen in tests recently haven’t done that.

Maybe playing him as a slogger at number 6 in ODIs in his early 20s and totally dropping him from the test team messed up with his development as a top order batsman.

He was one of the few players who had the ability to make it but was mismanaged.
 
For those suffering from amnesia:

Umar Akmal returned in 2017 for ODIs in Australia and flopped. He returned again in 2019 for ODIs in UAE vs Australia and flopped again.

Misbah then recalled him for a T20I series vs Sri Lanka C team later that year, and bagged two golden ducks !

So get over it, the guy had enough chances.
 
Top 5 UA greatest moments (in no particular order):

1) 90 odd vs Australia in 2014 WT20 group stage
2) Test hundred vs NZ in NZ in 2009
3) ODI 100 vs SL in SL 2009
4) Quick-fire 50 vs Australia in 2010 WT20 semi finals
5) ‘Mother from another brother’ vs Razzaq
 
Surely even Kamran won't try to get him back in international cricket.
 
Surely even Kamran won't try to get him back in international cricket.

I’d be stunned if there’s not atleast an attempt to bring him back. Although I feel that Mickey would overrule his reentry. And in the current pecking order , Mickey has more pull.
 
For those suffering from amnesia:

Umar Akmal returned in 2017 for ODIs in Australia and flopped. He returned again in 2019 for ODIs in UAE vs Australia and flopped again.

Misbah then recalled him for a T20I series vs Sri Lanka C team later that year, and bagged two golden ducks !

So get over it, the guy had enough chances.

He did not flop in the ODIs but did not do great either averages of 30 and 32 batting in the lower order considering he averages 37 at a 88 strike rate at the number 6 position don’t you think making use of the power plays in the first 10 overs and beyond he could improve his strike rate to 98 in today’s era of flat wickets and weakened bowling attacks.

I mean batsmen like Shai Hope and Imam are averaging 50 in today’s ODI era it’s not all about average but impact making winning contributions and not stat padding.

In tests I have no doubt Umar was a better batsman than Shafiq Haris Sohail Malik and others played in front of him in the middle order he could play those quick innings which save time and gives the team momentum just look at how far the slow batsmen in tests have taken Pakistan.
 
Back to normal


Out for 0 in the exhibition game.
 
Back to normal


Out for 0 in the exhibition game.

But but he’s better than Babar and everyone in the team. As one poster said he shouldn’t be allowed to play domestics and I completely agree with that. He’s an embarrassment to the sport.
 
Back to normal


Out for 0 in the exhibition game.

Wanted to do something special and get his Strike Rate up

<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 45.000%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/e/t1yoyy" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="100%" allowfullscreen style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;"></iframe></div>
 
Wanted to do something special and get his Strike Rate up

<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 45.000%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/e/t1yoyy" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="100%" allowfullscreen style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;"></iframe></div>
The only thing which went up was his hack across the line which was caught. Unfortunately his SR remained 0 just like his score.
 
Brainless batting once again from Umar

Some things never change
 
Wanted to do something special and get his Strike Rate up

<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 45.000%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/e/t1yoyy" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="100%" allowfullscreen style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;"></iframe></div>

PSL 2022 strike rates:

Rizwan : 126

Babar : 118

Umar : 174

:kakmal
 
He is actually right.. there should an award .."Brainless cricketer of the year" and I am sure you will win it every year.:salute
 
Since big bro Dropmal is in the selection committee (another Joke) he only needs to play couple of 15 ball 30s & he’ll be in the Pak team for sure , Chacha is leagues above him on current form anyway, the only way he should be considered is if he finishes amongst the top 5 run getters in psl8
 
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[MENTION=135038]Major[/MENTION] what exposure in 2010 are you talking about??

https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/batting/most_runs_career.html?id=5506;type=series

As far as I can see, Umar Akmal outscored Cook, Strauss, KP, Azhar Ali and Yousuf in the same tour. In fact, he was still Pakistan’s best batter in the series after Trott and Prior where England’s best. How can you be ‘exposed’ on a tour where Kevin Pietersen averages 23 in 4 Test matches??

large chunk of those runs were on last day when spot fixing scandal was exposed and no one was giving a toss about the game. When it mattered he largely failed
 
large chunk of those runs were on last day when spot fixing scandal was exposed and no one was giving a toss about the game. When it mattered he largely failed

Large Chunk of Pietersen’s runs in that series was when he scored 80 and was dropped 5 times in the innings
 
Surely even Kamran won't try to get him back in international cricket.

Does Kamran strike you as a fair, competent man?

Nobody even knows what credentials he showed in order to get the job in the first place.
 
large chunk of those runs were on last day when spot fixing scandal was exposed and no one was giving a toss about the game. When it mattered he largely failed

The conditions were tough Azhar Ali averaged 21 at a strike rate of 35 but had a long test career for Pakistan.

If Umar was finished like a few have said he wouldn’t have averaged 40 on his next tour of the West Indies where again he outperformed most Pakistani batsmen especially Asad Shafiq who despite failing on that tour was given a long test career.

A test career finished at 21-22 when a batsman is still developing and a ODI career of becoming a slogger/hitter and trying to rescue a pathetic top order consistently at number 6 was basically the rest of Akmals time as a Pakistani batsman.

Akmal also has a better average batting at number 6 in ODIs than batsmen who batted in the top 4 and there’s daylight between his strike rate and theirs aswell as most batsmen 10 years ago had a strike rate close to 70 in the top order for Pakistan due to the pitches being tougher to bat on generally aswell.
 
Shahid Afridi :

"Umar Akmal should thank Quetta Gladiators because other franchises were not interested in picking him in PSL. Umar Akmal has problem of fitness since quite a long. I like him as a batter, but Umar Akmal still has to work upon his fitness a lot,"
 
Disappointment for him today but then the whole batting line-up was demolished.

hbrNNZg.png
 
He should open the innings instead, can easily replace Rizwan if he performs and gets his mojo back.
 
Wanted to do something special and get his Strike Rate up

<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 45.000%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/e/t1yoyy" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="100%" allowfullscreen style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;"></iframe></div>

Once he played similar shot vs Afghanistan but the catch was dropped. He then scored a century. He hasn't learned anything in all these years. Its so frustrating.
 
Shahid Afridi :

"Umar Akmal should thank Quetta Gladiators because other franchises were not interested in picking him in PSL. Umar Akmal has problem of fitness since quite a long. I like him as a batter, but Umar Akmal still has to work upon his fitness a lot,"

So UA has to be told to get fit. Surely he has the basic intelligence to realise that or am I expecting too much from this idiot
 
Didn't he once say that drinking water made him fat?

We need a thread on all these gems.
 
Still looked more comfortable facing 145ks than Iftikhar did
 
Amazing to see how some people are still defending the clown... there should be a thread which is dedicated to the excuses some players make...

- Coach's fault
- PCB's fault
- wrong position for batting
- Not treated properly
- water causing weight gain

Its always others fault than him.
 
It was a very poor Innings and looked like he hasn't played cricket in years.
 
It’s soo sad to see and say this but Akmal is the best power hitter pakistan has at the moment and that’s a sad state of affairs in pakistan especially when other top nations have produced world class batsmen that have everything to their armoury
 
This man is not suitable for top quality cricket.

PdadGMv.png
 
Joke of a cricketer . Hafeez should play remaining games over him
 
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