Former Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal has quashed all chances of playing in the upcoming edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2022 after he was demoted to the lowest category of players in the draft on December 12.
Akmal announced on his YouTube channel that he does not want to play in the PSL 7 beginning from January 27 in Karachi.
The seasoned player, who is the second-highest run-getter in PSL history including two centuries, was initially demoted from the platinum category to the gold category by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) before the draft was held on Sunday (December 12).
“I had even protested as to why I was demoted because I had performed consistently for Peshawar in the PSL,” he said.
On Sunday Akmal remained unpicked in the gold category and was eventually snapped up by Peshawar Zalmi in the silver category in the draft process in Lahore. The Peshawar side announced eight retentions as of December 10. Pakistan’s Wahab Riaz, their captain, and England batter Liam Livingstone were retained in the platinum category while Shoaib Malik was retained in the gold category.
“I don’t think I deserve to be playing in the silver category,” Akmal who last played for Pakistan in 2017, said.
Akmal is regarded as one of the top wicketkeeper-batsmen to have represented Pakistan in 53 Tests, 158 ODIs and 57 T20I appearances.
“Please release me because I don’t deserve to play in this category. The lower categories are better suited for youngsters. I don’t want their (Peshawar Zalmi) sympathy just because I have played for them in the past six seasons,” said 39-year old Akmal.
“Yes I am not happy with the way I was first demoted and then picked for PSL 7. I don’t think I deserve this treatment.
“I was surprised when initially the board demoted me from the platinum category to gold category without any explanation.” Thanking the Peshawar Zalmi management for supporting him in the last six seasons of the league, Akmal said it would be better if the franchise released him as his heart was not into playing from the silver category.
