No one has ever doubted the credentials of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 cricket's batting sensation, Umar Akmal. He is known to possess sublime skills that can win matches on any given day. However, it is his temperament that keeps invoking serious questions about his ability
to continue playing the toughest form of the game.
Consider his atrocious shot selection on Sunday, which will have left even the most diehard supporters of Pakistan cricket hanging their heads in shame. Umar Akmal simply gifted his wicket to the opposition in a manner that does not bespeak the same character
that one expects from Test players. His ostentatious shot selection was absolutely unnecessary and needless.
He has now played in 17 test innings and the last time he scored a half century was against England at Lord’s in the summer. Couple this to his current form and one can only wonder as to why the Pakistani selection committee is still persisting with him.
On Sunday, Pakistan were well placed in a comfortable position at 196 – 4 when Umar Akmal arrived on crease. The Pakistan team had lost their captain http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Misbah-ul-Haq-c1972, and Younis Khan in quick succession, and needed a prudent shot maker to bide his time at
the crease. However as it now turns out, they must have been sorely disappointed. Umar Akmal drove the very first ball that he played through the covers for a couple. However, that was the last ball of the over and so he had to stand-by and watch Azhar Ali
play a maiden over before getting back on strike.
Umar Akmal faced http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Johan-Botha-c67173 for an over of spin. Once again he played the bowler through for a couple of runs, and faced the next two deliveries without scoring. However, it was the fourth ball of the over that will haunt Pakistan for this Test match at
the very least. Out of nowhere, Umar Akmal charged down the pitch like an angry bull, only to top edge the ball and give a straight forward catch to http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Dale-c52110 Steyn who must have felt like Christmas had come early. Such irresponsible display of batting is yet another
reminder to the fans of cricket, as to why Pakistan is considered one of the most unorthodox and unpredictable teams in international cricket.
The South African first innings score of 380 was a tough task to emulate, but it wasn’t impossible. Particularly after the Pakistan top order batsmen had dug in their heels, it looked as if Pakistan were on the right track to achieve their objective. What
was required of Umar Akmal, after the fall of two quick wickets, was to maintain a steadfast approach and support Azhar Ali at the other end who looked well settled on the crease. However, it was nothing short of shameless as Umar Akmal virtually gifted his
wicket to the opposition.
After the shot had been played and Umar Akmal was walking back to the pavilion, a severely dejected and possibly suicidal Intikhab Alam, the coach of the Pakistani cricket team said
“this is definitely an irresponsible shot and we may consider fining him. I am really disappointed at the way he hit that wild shot.”
This statement by Intikhab Alam sums up the whole crisis that Pakistan cricket is undergoing. While lack of discipline has become the hallmark of the Pakistan cricket team, its management is not that far behind either. They talk of fines and punishments,
but have never really gone through with those threats. Consider the case of the Akmal brothers, Shahid Khan Afridi, Muhammad Yousuf or even Younis Khan, who were all fined, but there were no immediate consequences enforced on them to make sure that their discipline
does not waiver again. But then again, when the management of a cricket board is mired in allegations of graft and nepotism, how does one expect it to pay any serious attention to the damning affairs prevalent within its cricket team?
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