Out-of-favour Akmal surpasses Wasim Bari record

KARACHI: Pakistan’s out-of-favour wicket-keeper batsman Kamran Akmal has surpassed Wasim Bari as Pakistan’s most successful wicketkeeper in First Class Cricket.

Kamran completed 829 dismissals behind the wickets during the fifth round match in Quaid-e-Azam trophy for WAPDA against UBL in Sialkot with seven catches in the match, surpassing 828 First Class wicket keeping dismissals by Wasim Bari, which is also most in first-class cricket by an Asian wicket keeper.

Kamran’s 829 dismissals in 217 first-class matches include 769 catches and 60 stumpings. He has overall tally of 1425 professional career dismissals, which is also most by an Asian and 12th most by any wicket-keeper in the world.

However, Kamran remained 22 dismissals behind Wasim Bari in becoming Pakistan’s most successful Test wicket-keeper. But, he has not lost hopes for a comeback.

Talking exclusively to Geo News after surpassing Bari’s first class record, Kamran said that he’s working hard for a comeback.

“I think I was dropped because I was unable to perform at that time, but what’s the criteria for anyone to make a comeback? Performance, isn’t it?” said Kamran.

“I am performing for last two-three seasons, and I am very much hopeful that I will be able to make a comeback very soon,” he added.

Kamran said that he doesn’t want to replace Sarfraz Ahmed as wicket-keeper in Pakistan cricket team, and instead, he is looking to make a comeback as batsman.

“I am scoring runs, I am so far the top scorer in the season, I performed well with the bat in last two seasons. So, I believe that I deserve a chance to make a comeback as a batsman,” he said.

“Sarfraz is doing very good as a wicket-keeper and he shouldn’t be removed, but when your other batsmen are not performing then I believe my performance deserves to be noted by selectors,” said the wicket-keeper batsman.

Kamran also aimed to complete 1000 dismissals behind the wicket.

“I think I can play for another five years, and InshaAllah I will try my best to become the first Pakistani with a thousand dismissals behind the wickets,” he concluded.