Melbourne, January 13: Under-fire Kamran Akmal has refused to take a backseat and despite coach Intikhab Alam’s strong words against the wicketkeeper, he insists that he will play the third Test that gets underway in Hobart from tomorrow.
In a clear stand-off between the wicketkeeper and Intikhab, the coach revealed that Kamran had been spoken to about putting the team’s interests first by falling on his sword in favour of rival Sarfraz Ahmed.
However, Kamran’s future will be known today when a four-man panel comprising skipper Mohammad Yousuf, Intikhab, team manager Abdur Raquib and ironically Kamran, as vice-captain, select the Pakistan team for the third Test against Australia.
Just a couple of hours after Intikhab announced that the 22-year-old Sarfraz Ahmed would make his Test debut in Hobart, Kamran came out to declare that he would not bow down to the demands.
”I will not drop myself,” Kamran said last night.
”No one has told me anything. I have not spoken to coach or captain. You have to talk to them but I have said I want to play and that is it,” he added.
As mass confusion reigned over the make-up of the Pakistan side, Intikhab revealed there was ”no doubt” Sarfraz would face the Australians.
”Yes he will play, definitely,” he said adding, ”He was sent here to play, not to just have a rest.” Asked if Kamran would agree to axe himself from the Test side, Intikhab was quoted as saying by The Daily telegraph that, ”I have already spoken to Kamran and I think he understands. This has happened in the past. We were in Sri Lanka (last year), Misbah-ul-Haq was the vice-captain and he wasn’t having a good time. He sat in the meeting and then we agreed (for Misbah to be dropped).
”At times you have to take the tough decisions. Sarfraz will play.” Sarfraz completed an hour-long session in the nets yesterday with Kamran’s younger brother Umar, who was passed fit to play, and said he was ready to face the Australians.
”I’m very excited to be selected for the Test team,” he said. ”Of course I’m nervous but the coach and manager all supported me. Kamran has supported me.”
——-Agencies