Hero aise zaleel nahi hotay: Kamran Akmal

Head coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq on Thursday announced Pakistan’s squad for the upcoming T20Is against Bangladesh. While Babar Azam has been appointed captain, the experienced middle-order duo of Muhammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik have also returned to the team.

Meanwhile, none of the Akmal brothers were part of the squad and Kamran took to social media to express his hurt and disappointment.

Hurt&heart broken for not being considered 4 team 🇵🇰 i have really worked hard ..anyways i won’t give up i will work harder & would like to thank everyone who supported me jazak Allah thank you

— Kamran Akmal (@KamiAkmal23) January 16, 2020

Kamran, who recently turned 38, last played an international game in 2017 but has been in impressive form lately and is the all-time scorer in the Pakistan Super League.

When sports journalist Shoaib Jatt commented that the batsman is a hero, Akmal replied, “Hero aise zaleel nahi hotey.”

Hero aise zaleel nahi hotey

— Kamran Akmal (@KamiAkmal23) January 16, 2020

Kamran also replied to other Twitter users and shared that though he doesn’t quite understand what the selectors want, he won’t give up and will continue to give his best.

i won’t give up …bas samjah nahi a raha criteria

— Kamran Akmal (@KamiAkmal23) January 16, 2020

i have performance what else i need to stay strong brother

— Kamran Akmal (@KamiAkmal23) January 16, 2020

Hosla tou buland hai lakin koi jawab de bhi tou ho

— Kamran Akmal (@KamiAkmal23) January 16, 2020

Kamran also congratulated his colleagues Muhammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik on their selection.

congratulations to the players who’s got selected agaist bangladesh series. congrats to @MHafeez22 & @realshoaibmalik for their comebacks.good luck everyone.

— Kamran Akmal (@KamiAkmal23) January 16, 2020

The full squad includes Babar Azam, Ahsan Ali, Ammad Butt, Haris Rauf, Ifthikar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Musa Khan, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Usman Qadir

Meanwhile, in an interview with The Current in September 2019, Akmal had said that he felt that he was “invisible to the selectors”.

When asked why he wasn’t selected for the team, Akmal had replied, “I think I was invisible to the selectors. They were unable to see my performance. That’s all I’d say. The selectors and board can tell you better.”

Akmal had also shared his everyday fitness routine.

“I undergo physical training for an hour or two every day in the ground with my brothers Umar and Adnan. Then we take rest for an hour or so and later come here… to the club.”

Kamran also chose Misbah over Shahid Afridi.

“Both are good,” he had said. “But how Misbah led the team for five or six years as the captain; took the team to the top. His and the team’s performance in Test matches was outstanding.”

Watch the full interview here: