ISLAMABAD - Pakistan's arguably most dynamic wicketkeeper batsman Kamran Akmal has promised to deliver for the team and country, if given chance in the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh.
Talking to The Nation on Wednesday he said people without going through ground realities start to criticise him. “It is true sometimes I made some costly errors but it was never intentional. I always try to give more than 100 percent.”
“I am spending 4 to 5 hours daily on physical fitness, batting and special attention to my wicket keeping. I am working very hard in the nets to rectify errors and not to repeat same mistakes in future. I had being playing practice matches at Model Town cricket center ground under highly experienced coach Mansoor Rana, Saboor Ahmed and fielding coach Abdul Majeed for the past 8 days. Now although the camp is off as we have to leave for Bangladesh, but I am still working with Majeed in the nets. I am very confident to manage to get rid of minor flaws and people will witness significant change in my wicket-keeping and especially batting.”
On a query regarding his favourite position to bat at, Kamran said he preferred to bat top order. “I have practiced as an opener during the nets and practice matches. My domestic performances in the recent past are an ample proof of my batting abilities. I had scored loads of runs during the recently concluded domestic circuit and that too in all formats. It is up to skipper to decide where I should bat. I am ready to bat at any given number and will try to justify my place in the playing XI and not to let captain, team and especially the entire nation down.” About Pakistan chances he said Pakistan have a very balanced side including some of the best players of shorter version of the game and if players played according to their abilities, it would be very hard to stop Pakistan from reaching final. “We have some minor injury concerns but there is still time left and Afridi will overcome injury scare.”
While talking about Umar Akmal's sensational performances in the Asia Cup, where he batted superbly and played key role in guiding national team into the final, Kamran said: “Umar is a natural hard hitting batsman. Whenever he was given few overs to bat and send at the right number, he has performed with the willow. His wicket keeping was also quite satisfactory but one must expect minor mistakes as he is a part timer not a regular wicket keeper. Our strength is our bowling but during the Asia Cup, our batsmen had showed glimpses of their batting abilities. Now some senior and specialist T20 format players have joined the squad and expectation levels are sky high. We would try to give the nation wonderful gift of lifting the T20 World Cup, which would provide our people a much-needed joy and relief,” Kamran concluded.