Kamran Akmal Faces Axe for Hobart Test even as Umar Akmal's "Fake" Back Trouble Dismissed

Sreelata YellamrazuJan 13 2010

More drama in the Pakistan dressing room as Kamran Akmal is forced to bite the bullet. And the story does not seem much different for his younger brother, Umar.

kamran akmal umar gul

The third Test between Australia and touring Pakistan begins at Hobart tomorrow and although it is a dead rubber with Australia having already won the series 2-0, it would be safe to say that once again Pakistan have had a less than desired preparation going into it.

The speculation over whether Kamran Akmal will indeed continue on as wicket keeper - batsman or will he replaced by Sarfraz Ahmed as per the wishes of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) were laid to rest with the Pakistan coach, Intikhab Alam, confirming that Kamran will indeed sit this one out.

But Kamran had been insisting all along that he would play the third Test despite the scrutiny, even as Alam insisted that Kamran had to have a better understanding as a senior member of the squad and that he is in need of a rest.

The move is contrary to the views held earlier by Mohammad Yousuf, the Pakistan captain, who wanted to repose faith in the troubled wicket keeper. But even the coach and captain are under severe duress over their jobs after the shocking defeat in Sydney in the second Test and it could well have been a situation where their backing Kamran would have been viewed as defiance.

It will be baptism by fire for Sarfraz though.

And one Pakistan member is supposedly not part of the welcoming unit. Younger brother of Kamran, Umar Akmal, who has impressed everyone with the bat, supposedly faked a back injury to force himself out as well of the Hobart Test. Although the team management denied there was anything serious other than a stiff back from which he had recovered, the nineteen year old had insisted that he was definitely not playing the Test through injury. But that does not seem to be the case anymore.

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