In a recent interview on a local channel, former Pakistani cricketer Azhar Ali made a striking statement regarding his ex-teammates Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal.
Azhar Ali emphasized that both Shehzad and Akmal, who have not represented Pakistan since 2019, were among the most gifted players of their generation. Despite their immense potential, they failed to achieve the anticipated success on the international stage.
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“Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad were more talented than the rest of us,” Ali remarked. “However, they couldn’t thrive in international cricket as expected.” Ali further raised doubts about the team management’s role in hindering the duo’s progress, suggesting that more supportive measures could have been implemented.
“Some responsibility and blame must rest with the management,” Ali pointed out. “Did they employ strategies that could have helped Akmal and Shehzad improve? If there were other issues with the players, those should have been addressed through guidance.”
Since their last appearances for Pakistan in 2019, both players have faced challenges in staging a comeback. That year, Pakistan suffered a humiliating whitewash by Sri Lanka in a three-match T20 series at home, which marked a critical juncture in Akmal and Shehzad’s careers.
Ali’s remarks underscore the ongoing debate concerning the management’s role in nurturing talent and managing disciplinary or fitness concerns within the team.
The former Pakistan captain believes that players can develop with professional and dedicated team management. The decline of these two cricketers, according to Ali, cannot be solely attributed to fitness and disciplinary issues but also to the management’s handling of their situations.
