http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ashraf-c46397 – Cricket News Update
Zaka Ashraf, the Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has made it clear that the wicketkeeper/batsman, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Kamran-Akmal-c70122 has returned to the national team after being cleared by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The 30-year-old was announced last week in Pakistan’s 15-men squad for the forthcoming http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 in September/October.
Kamran was dropped from the national team after a pathetic performance behind the stumps in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, although his performances with the bat were quite impressive.
Since his absence, PCB has tried a number of young keepers including http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shakeel-Ansar-c89546. However, none of them was able to match the seasoned cricketer’s calibre with the bat, forcing the selectors to
call back on Kamran.
After the spot-fixing saga in 2010, there were some suspicions about Akmal, however; while talking to a private television channel, Ashraf revealed that the board consulted the game’s governing body before naming the side for the mega event.
"As regards Kamran Akmal, the PCB approached the ruling global body ICC and asked if the ICC had any objection to Kamran's selection,” the Chairman PCB said. "The ICC (International Cricket Council) said it had nothing against Kamran Akmal and when clearance
came from ICC, then the PCB integrity committee cleared him for national selection."
The Chairman further added that the Green Shirts needed Kamran’s services, being a genuine match-winner, and the selectors did not hesitate at all once the wicketkeeper was given a go ahead by the board.
"Moreover Pakistan badly needed a keeper who could also contribute with the bat also," he added.
The cricketer from Lahore has so far played 53 Tests, 137 One Day Internationals and 38 T20s for the country and has scored more than six thousands runs in international cricket, with the help of 11 centuries and 26 fifties. On top of that, Akmal has more
than 400 victims behind the stumps.
The announced squad will also play three T20s against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/United-Arab-Emirates-c3033 in September before the mega event.
Tags: