Pakistan batter Umar Akmal has expressed frustration over not being able to meet the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi despite his repeated efforts. Umar Akmal declared that he wants to play for Pakistan and slammed the PCB for ignoring him.
The wicketkeeper-batter revealed that his calls and requests are being ignored to meet the PCB chief. He also claimed that he has all the necessary evidence while accusing Naqvi’s managers of being rude to him. Akmal noted that the PCB exists because of the players, saying he is not happy with the board’s attitude towards its own cricketers.
Umar Akmal frustrated as PCB ignores his requests for a meeting
Umar Akmal said on a local TV show, Suno to Sahi: “I have all the proofs. I can show. I am calling the managers of the chairman and the people around him. I want to meet the chairman. I am asking them to give me an appointment. But they are behaving so rudely, saying when he will give you time, we will tell you. Please let him know that the Pakistan Cricket Board is because of the players. If they don’t have a good attitude towards the players, who will the players turn to?”
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In his message to Mohsin Naqvi, the 34-year-old said that the PCB chairman’s managers are not picking his calls, and they are behaving so rudely, which is not a good thing, as he has served Pakistan, and he also deserves respect. Umar admitted that he has only a few years of cricket left, so he wants to spend that time representing his country on the international stage.
I want to play only for Pakistan: Umar Akmal
With only a few years of cricket left, Akmal has stressed that his priority remains playing for the Pakistan cricket team. The right-handed batter also expressed his frustration at being overlooked for the Pakistan Super League 2025 (PSL 2025) despite being committed to domestic cricket.
Akmal signed off by saying, “I want to play only for Pakistan. I am not saying at all that I want to play for 10 to 15 years. I have a max of 4 to 5 years of cricket left in me. So, I want to play for Pakistan. Other leagues call us. You must have seen recently. I have played in the Sri Lankan League, and I was even captain. But I have not been selected in the PSL. I am playing domestic cricket. So, this attitude is not good.”
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Umar Akmal’s international career in numbers
Notably, Akmal has represented Pakistan in 16 Tests, 121 ODIs, and 84 T20Is, where he amassed 1003 runs, 3194 runs, and 1690 runs, respectively. He has only three hundreds to his name in international cricket. However, the wicketkeeper has 34 international fifties to his name at the highest level.
He last played a Test match for Pakistan against Zimbabwe in 2011, while his last white-ball appearance came against Sri Lanka in Lahore back in 2019. However, Umar has been a regular fixture in domestic cricket. He also featured in the overseas leagues like CPL and BPL.
