Umar Akmal has once again stirred controversy by accusing former Pakistan head coach Waqar Younis of mistreatment and putting undue mental pressure on him during their time together in the national team. The 34-year-old cricketer expressed his belief that Waqar’s criticisms of his aggressive batting style in Test cricket severely hindered his performance.
Akmal explained that Waqar continuously discouraged his natural attacking game, claiming that it was not suitable for the longer format of the game. According to Akmal, Waqar even extended his critique to his performances in One-Day Internationals, ultimately undermining his confidence.
Akmal also revealed how Waqar made disparaging remarks about his aggressive batting, such as suggesting he was playing a T20-style game during Test matches.
While speaking to GTV sports he said, “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,”
Additionally, Akmal accused Waqar of harboring personal animosity toward his family, particularly his brothers Kamran and Adnan Akmal, who were also part of the Pakistan cricket setup. He alleged that Waqar questioned the presence of all three Akmal brothers in the team, implying that their inclusion was a problem.
He added, “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?,”.
Akmal accuses former coach Waqar Younis of attacking personal life choices
During the interview, Akmal claimed that Waqar’s criticisms were not just focused on his cricketing skills but also on his personal life choices, such as his clothing and accessories, which he found distracting rather than constructive.
He said, “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,”
Despite these challenges, Akmal credited his senior teammates for offering support during these trying times. They encouraged him to focus on his strengths and ignore the negativity surrounding him.
Akmal last played for Pakistan 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.
