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Umar Akmal has once again ignited controversy, this time by leveling accusations against former Pakistan head coach Waqar Younis. The sidelined Pakistani cricketer alleges that Waqar Younis subjected him to mistreatment and mental pressure during his time as head coach. Pakistan's veteran batter specifically claimed that Waqar actively discouraged his natural, aggressive batting style within the Test cricket format, hindering his potential for success in the longer form of the game.
Umran Akmal accuses Waqar Younis of eroding his career
Umar Akmal further elaborated, stating that Waqar Younis consistently asserted that his attacking approach was ill-suited for Test cricket. He also stated that Waqar made similar comments during ODI's, which ultimately eroded his confidence and negatively impacted his performance on the field.
“When I played attacking shots, I was told, ‘Have you started playing T20 cricket in Tests?’ And when I rotated the strike, they said, ‘Are you playing an ODI in Test cricket?’ Now, look at today’s Test cricket—it doesn’t even last three or four days,” Umar Akmal said on the local TV channel GTV Sports.
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Umar Akmal went on to say that the former coach harbored personal issues with his brothers, Kamran Akmal and Adnan Akmal. He claimed that Waqar openly questioned the presence of all three Akmal brothers within the Pakistan national cricket team, suggesting a bias that extended beyond Umar's individual performance.
“I heard it with my own ears. Waqar Younis said, ‘Will all the cricket be played by these brothers?’ What kind of statement is that from a head coach?,” he added.
Akmal then intensified his accusations against Waqar, asserting that the latter's focus strayed from his cricketing abilities and instead centered on his personal choices. He contends that Waqar's criticisms were not solely based on his performance on the field, but were also directed towards aspects of his life outside of cricket.
“He would ask me, ‘Why are you wearing these glasses? Why these shoes?’ Instead of focusing on my cricket, he was more interested in such things,” Akmal further stated.
However, Akmal thanked his senior players for providing crucial support and encouragement, urging him to maintain his focus on his cricketing performance and disregard any negative influences.
“The senior players sat me down and told me to ignore these things and play my natural game. They encouraged me to focus on my strengths rather than listening to negativity,” Akmal concluded.
Notable the 34-year-old Pakistan star last represented the Men in Green in a T20I series against Sri Lanka held in Lahore on October 2019. His international career includes 16 Test matches, 121 ODIs, and 84 T20Is, during which he accumulated approximately 3400 runs across all three formats.
