Once considered one of Pakistan’s most promising cricketing talents, Umar Akmal is now seeking a meeting with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, hoping for a way back into the national setup. The batter, who burst onto the international scene with immense potential, has endured a career marked by controversy, disciplinary issues, and prolonged absences from the team. Now, he is looking to make amends and revive his career.
Speaking on Suno TV’s program Suno to Sahi, Umar Akmal revealed the difficulties he has faced in trying to get in touch with the PCB chairman.
“I have all the proof. I have been calling the chairman’s manager, requesting a meeting, but they behave rudely. The PCB exists because of the players—if they do not show the right attitude towards us, where are we supposed to go?” Umar Akmal said. “Mr. Naqvi, I just want to meet you, but I am being rebuffed. I have served Pakistan, and I still have four or five years left in me. I want to play for Pakistan despite having offers from abroad,” he added.
Despite his undeniable talent, Umar Akmal’s career has been overshadowed by off-field troubles and inconsistent performances. From fitness concerns to disciplinary actions, including suspensions, he has struggled to cement his place in Pakistan’s cricketing landscape. While players from his generation have gone on to become regular fixtures in the national side, Akmal has found himself on the fringes, unable to overcome the setbacks that have defined his career.
His latest attempt to make a comeback appears unlikely to materialize. With Pakistan’s squad now filled with younger and emerging players, Umar Akmal’s path back to the national team seems all but closed.
For a player once hailed as a future star, the journey has been anything but smooth. Whether this potential meeting with the PCB chairman leads to a second chance or is merely a plea falling on deaf ears remains to be seen.
