“Cook is still playing domestic, Dhoni is still playing IPL, are they mad?” - Kamran Akmal lashes out at PCB for putting age over performance

Pakistan keeper-batter Kamran Akmal has hit out at the country’s cricket board and team management for giving preference to age over performance. Referring to experienced all-rounder Shoaib Malik’s snub from the T20 World Cup squad, he opined that the 40-year-old should have been picked if he was suitable to play.

In the wake of Pakistan’s middle-order struggling in the Asia Cup in the UAE, there were calls for Malik’s inclusion in the T20 World Cup squad. However, the selectors refused to play him.

In an interview with Cricket Pakistan, Akmal slammed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for its continued obsession with age. Giving examples of legends from other countries, he said:

“Alastair Cook is still playing domestic despite retiring in 2018, MS Dhoni is still playing IPL, are they mad? But here they start chirping about age. Is Shoaib Malik not fit or is there an issue with his form? If he is suitable, then he should play. It's as simple as that.”

Malik last represented Pakistan in a T20I against Bangladesh in Mirpur in November 2021. He was part of the team that reached the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup in the UAE last year.

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“They are egoistic and think they will remain in PCB for their whole life” - Akmal hits out at team management

Akmal also slammed the management, describing them as “egoistic”. Urging that coaches should be held accountable for team’s performances, he said:

“There is no coordination in management; they are egoistic and think that they will remain in PCB for their whole life. I have seen that all the blame is associated with players and management doesn't take on to them. The past three coaches also blamed players and didn't accept that our decisions were wrong. Tell me when coaches have been held accountable?

Hoping for things to improve under current PCB chairman Ramiz Raja, the keeper-batter asserted:

“I have hope because of Ramiz Raja, who is also a former cricketer. Raja must know the value of a cricketer is whether he is part of an international team or not.”

Pakistan are currently taking on England in a seven-match T20I series at home. The hosts are 1-2 down in the series. Head coach Saqlain Mushtaq came under fire for his reaction to Pakistan’s defeat in the third T20I.

Speaking at the post-match conference, he played down the loss, stating that it was “kudrat ka nizam” (law of nature).