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Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. The announcement was made on Tuesday, just days after Akmal was named to the national selection committee.
When Akmal announced his retirement, he also announced that he was taking up coaching as a profession. According to an interview, he said, “I don’t think after you come into coaching or become a national selector you can focus on playing.”
What Happened?
At the time of his announcement, Kamran was dropped by the Pakistan Super League franchise Peshawar Zalmi for the 8th season and instead got signed to be on its coaching staff.
Akmal was also named the batting consultant for the Peshawar Zalmi, led by Babar Azam, for the upcoming edition of the PSL. In response, Akmal stated he was keener on taking up managerial roles with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
“I will be playing small leagues but that too depends on my responsibilities in a new role given to me by PCB,” he said.
Akmal’s Player History
Akmal made his debut for Pakistan back in 2002 and went on to play until 2017. He has played in 53 Tests, 157 ODIs, and 58 T20Is. During his time as a player, the right-handed batter scored 2648, 3236, and 987 runs respectively, with the help of 11 centuries and 27 fifties.
From 2016 to 2022, he played for the Zalmi, where he scored 1972 runs at an average of 27.38 and a strike rate of 136.94, with three centuries and 12 fifties to his name.
The last time he played with Pakistan was for an ODI against the West Indies in April 2017 at the Providence Stadium in Guyana.
While Akmal will not be playing in any more games, he remains second in the list of leading run-scorers in the history of the PSL. He is also the leading run-scorer with 2413 runs from 66 innings with 23 half-centuries.
Response to Akmal’s Retirement and Appointment
There were plenty of responses to Akmal’s retirement announcement and appointment by the PCB. Among them was his brother Umar Akmal. “Kamran has always treated me and the other cricket players with great kindness. He said, “Everyone learns from him.”
“I have no doubt that he will give players a fair opportunity. I’m hoping for the best for him,” he added.
Former captain Shahid Afridi also agreed with PCB’s appointment of Kamran to lead the committee that will choose players at tryouts for the U13, U16, and U19 regional and district teams.
In one interview, he said, “Kamran is honest and hard-working. I think he is a good choice to select players at the junior level. He is bold and will not take any pressure in the selection of players.”
What’s Going on With Pakistan Now
Not much has been detailed on how affected Pakistan is by Akmal’s retirement. At this time, the team is preparing for a T20 series against New Zealand in April. The last match they played was an ODI series against New Zealand in January, which New Zealand won 2-1.