Called Out For Not Praising Babar Azam Enough, 'Brother' Kamran Akmal Responds To Criticism

The run-up to the Pakistan Super League (PSL) saw the reunion of cousins Babar Azam and former Pakistan wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal. While Babar will be leading the Peshawar Zalmi franchise in the T20 tournament, Akmal was appointed head coach of the side. In the video published on social media, Akmal can be seen bowling to Babar in the nets as the star batsman gears up for the competition. While there were other pacers who were also bowling to Babar in the nets, Akmal focused mainly on maintaining a short-pitched length in order to make him ready for that length.

In the recent past, Akmal has been criticised for not praising Babar but the Peshawar Zalmi head coach made it clear that the reports are not true and lauded the Pakistan skipper.

 “It's not like the way it is portrayed. Actually, I try not to praise my brothers, be they Umar, Adnan or Babar. I want the world to praise them,” he said. “Babar is an outstanding player. I don't think we have such things in our minds. I want him to continue performing,” he said.

Akmal recently announced his retirement from all forms of cricket just days after being named a part of the national selection committee. "I don't think after you come into coaching or become a national selector you can focus on playing,” he said in a recent interview.

During his playing days, Akmal appeared in 268 international matches for Pakistan and since 2022, he played for the Peshawar Zalmi franchise in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Topics mentioned in this article

Babar Azam Kamran Akmal Cricket