Kamran Akmal May Make it to Pakistan World Cup Squad
Kamran Akmal, out of favour with the selectors in the one-day format
since the Champions Trophy in England last year, has been in good form
in Pakistan's domestic circuit.
Karachi: Discarded wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal could be a
surprise inclusion in Pakistan's final World Cup squad after he
continued his rich vein of batting form in the final of the Quaid-e-Azam
Trophy Gold league at the National Stadium here. Kamran, out of favour
with the selectors in the one-day format since the Champions Trophy in
England last year, was unbeaten on 131 on the fourth day of the five-day
final for his team, National Bank against Sui Northern Gas, which is
close to completing a hat-trick of Quaid Trophy titles. “Kamran is in
serious consideration for the final World Cup squad but not as a
wicketkeeper but as a specialist batsman,” a source close to the
national selection committee said.
The source said that another wicketkeeper, Peshawar's Muhammad Rizwan,
who also scored a superb 224 in the final, is also in the contention as
the selectors had included him and Kamran in the preliminary squad of 30
probables. “Rizwan has also scored big runs this season in the Quaid
Trophy and is under consideration, although Kamran's previous experience
in international cricket could win him the nod from the selectors for
the position of the third opener in the side after Ahmed Shehzad and
Muhammad Hafeez,” the source said. “Kamran, if selected, however will
not be the first choice wicketkeeper as this position is now held by
Sarfaraz Ahmed,” the source added. He said Kamran had impressed the
selectors with his innings yesterday in the final, with chief selector
Moin Khan also present at the stadium to watch his unbeaten innings.
“Earlier also in the tournament he has scored a heap of runs,
including a career best 275 to help National Bank qualify for the final
and he could be a surprise recall for the World Cup as the third
opener,” the source insisted. He said head coach Waqar Younis and
manager Moin Khan were aware of the fact that Kamran had previous
experience of not only playing in the World Cup but also in Australia
and New Zealand, the two venues where 2015 World Cup will be held. “But
the final nod for Kamran will come depending on whether he continues his
purple patch in the Pentangular one-day Cup, which begins from December
31. The selectors will be closely watching the performance of some
players including Kamran in the tournament after which the selectors
plan to announce their final World Cup squad on January 7,” the source
added.
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