Thaindian News

New Delhi, March 9 (IANS) Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram feels the team management will make a big mistake if they replace wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal with his younger brother Umar behind the stumps.

Akram, a legendary fast bowler, said wicket-keeping is a specialist’s job and it should be left to Kamran and not to his brother.

Kamran’s pathetic performance during Tuesday’s match resulted in the team’s 110-run loss to New Zealand. Kamran twice dropped, on 0 and 4, batsman Ross Taylor who went on to score a match-winning 131 not out. Kamran also could not hold on to a Scott Styris’ catch off the bowling of Shahid Afridi later in the innings.

“I have never seen Umar keeping at the international level and he can’t be used to cover up the errors made by someone who specialises in a job. Since keeping wickets is a tough job, only Kamran must do the job, not a part-timer.

“Having said this, Kamran’s keeping has been outrageous. In recent times, he has dropped crucial catches and some of them have been regulation ones. It seems if he drops one, the pressure on him mounts and that’s exactly what happened at Pallekelle. Ross Taylor was the greatest beneficiary as he has been out of form and struggling for runs,” Akram was quoted as saying by ESPNStar.com.

Akram has no doubt that Pakistan will qualify for the quarters, but said making Umar keep wickets will be a blunder by the team management.

“While qualifying for the quarterfinals should not be an issue, Pakistan must have learnt quite a few lessons from the humiliating defeat against the New Zealanders. I hear the team management is toying with the idea of asking Umar Akmal keep wickets instead of elder brother, Kamran. If that happens, then Pakistan will make a blunder of a decision,” he said.