The former wicketkeeper-batsman of Pakistan, Kamran Akmal, is not very happy with the playing XI that the Pakistan team management has picked for the ongoing first test match against Sri Lanka at Galle.
The Pakistan team management decided to drop two of their most consistent test match players, Fawad Alam and Faheem Ashraf, and picked two all-rounders instead in Mohammad Nawaz and Salman Agha, with Agha making his debut.
The decision has surprised many people, particularly the dropping of Fawad Alam, because he has scored runs consistently for Pakistan in the longest format of the game since he has come back to the national set-up.
The fact that Mohammad Nawaz was picked ahead of Faheem Ashraf can still be understood, as Pakistan might have wanted a spin bowling allrounder in Sri Lankan conditions, rather than an extra seamer. But, dropping Fawad Alam is something that has truly perplexed everyone.
Kamran Akmal expressed his unhappiness with a tweet
Kamran Akmal tweeted about it earlier today and wrote that the longest format of the game is about those players who specialize properly in one department of the game, either with bat or ball. It’s not about having a lot of all-rounders in the playing XI, which is something you can do in the shorter formats.
It’s a test match not a T20 game…too many Allrounders playing and what i think is test match game is all about specialists…its pretty shocking why @iamfawadalam25 and @iFaheemAshraf both have been dropped 🤔 #PAKvsSL
— Kamran Akmal (@KamiAkmal23) July 16, 2022
Pakistan, so far, has fared well in the test match with the ball as they have reduced Sri Lanka to 9 down at just about 200 runs on a decent batting surface, but as the test match progresses, it remains to be seen if they miss the presence of Fawad Alam in the middle order or not.
In the recent few test series, apart from the one against Australia, whenever Pakistan found themselves in a tricky situation with the bat, Fawad came to their rescue. Salman Agha now, who will be batting at Fawad’s spot, will have a big responsibility on his shoulders in his very first test match.
