Babar Azam, Pakan approach blasted Kamran Akmal
The Babar Azam-led Pakan cricket team failed to win a single Test match on home soil in the year of 2022. This was despite Azam ending the year as the batsman with the most number of runs in the calendar year. Former Pakan Test cricketer Kamran Akmal uploaded a video on his YouTube channel where he spoke about how Pakan’s approach to Test cricket had been negative this year.
“Pakan’s approach in Test cricket has been quite negative, considering the pitches that we have been preparing. While we have used batting-friendly pitches in the last seven home Tests, it is equally important to give our bowlers some confidence,” said Akmal.
Training his guns specifically on Pakan’s weakened spin bowling, Akmal said that if they had someone of the quality of Danish Kaneria, matters would be very different.
“If Danish Kaneria would be playing now, he would have taken 500 wickets, based on the kind of bowler he was. The way the pitches are being made now, the spinners are not being able to do the job. I feel we need to make a sporting pitch.
“If your spinners are going to bowl so many overs, how are you going to take 20 wickets? We should consider playing on grassy wickets, as our pacers are quicker than the New Zealand fast bowlers,” said Akmal.
He then called for the country to play cricket fearlessly. In their last Test match of the year against New Zealand, Azam declared Pakan’s innings and gave the Kiwis a target of 138 in 15 overs. But only eight overs were able to be bowled and the match ended in a draw with the Kiwis reaching 61/1. Babar later called his decision to declare a brave one, but many insed that only a draw or a defeat were possible from that scenario. Akmal was one of those critics on his YouTube channel.
“Fans were bored during this Test match. If Pakan continues to do the same, it will be tough to bring fans to the stadium for red-ball matches. It is imperative that Pakan change their approach to keep Test cricket alive in the country. We will have to play fearlessly,” said the former Pak wicket-keeper.
