In a recent interview on a local channel, former Pakistani cricketer Azhar Ali made a bold statement regarding his former teammates Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal.
According to the former Pakistan skipper, Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad who have not represented Pakistan since 2019, were among the most talented players of their generation. Despite their potential, they failed to achieve the success expected of them on the international stage.
“Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad were more talented than the rest of us,” Ali remarked. “They just could not flourish in international cricket like they should have.” Ali went on to question the role of the team’s management in the duo’s lack of progress, suggesting that more could have been done to support them.
“A bit of the responsibility and blame lies on the management, “Did they utilize methods through which Akmal and Shehzad could have gotten better? And if they believed that the two players had other issues then they should have been counseled.”
Since their last appearance for Pakistan in 2019, both players have struggled to make a comeback. That year, Pakistan was whitewashed by Sri Lanka in a three-match T20 series at home, which marked a turning point in the careers of Akmal and Shehzad.
Ali’s comments highlight the ongoing debate about the management’s role in nurturing talent and addressing disciplinary or fitness issues within the team.
The former Pakistan captain believes that the players can be groomed if the team management is professional and invested enough in those players. The onus of the downfall of the two cricketers is not only subjected to their fitness and disciplinary issues but also how the team management treated them.
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Misbah dropped umar akmal when he played one wrong shot against spinner in 2010 and
demoralized him azhar ali didn't even speak for umar akmal and kept watching. Azhar ali is also the same.