Is Kamran Akmal Responsible for Shoaib Akhtar's Retirement Decision?

That picture was taken almost a month ago. A lot has changed since. Irrespective of the theories that abound, there is always that sense of wonder if one team mate is responsible for bring down his team mate. Could Kamran Akmal have caused Shoaib Akhtar to end his innings early with the Pakistan cricket team in the course of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011?

shoaib akhtar pak team

There are stories floating around that Kamran Akmal may have upset the fast bowler to the point of getting kicked quite literally. There are also rumours that the Pakistan coach, Waqar Younis, had his way by sidelining Shoaib Akhtar over whom he had doubts about his fitness and ability to deliver over ten overs. Shahid Afridi, the Pakistan captain, backed the Rawalpindi Express to a point and now has revealed he is not considering him on the first list.

Despite the controversies that have been evoked as a result of Akhtar's retirement announcement, the fact remains that in a team sport, one player could have well let an opportunity to go by for another. In Akhtar's case, he may not have had his old self back, and it is hard at his age, but he showed more spark than expected and certainly showed he had it in him to still pick up wickets at crucial intervals.

In that light, Kamran Akmal, the wicket keeper not only let himself down but also, Akhtar because the two catches that Akmal missed off New Zealand's Ross Taylor proved very costly for Pakistan as Taylor went onto score a blistering century that saw Pakistan lose badly in the encounter.

If's and but's have not place. But one can only wonder what would have happened had Akhtar halted Taylor. Would he still be calling his retirement or being forced to, which ever being the truth and the heart of the matter?