Former wicketkeeper batter Kamran Akmal heaped praise on Hardik Pandya for his match-winning abilities with both bat and the ball in white-ball formats as he wants Pakistan’s Faheem Ashraf to take the same responsibility for his team. Hardik has emerged as one of the undisputed starters in India’s white-ball formats Playing XIs. The flamboyant all-rounder has also been leading the Indian team in T20Is since the 2022 T20 World Cup.
After regaining full fitness last year, Hardik has done well with the ball alongside his batting which provided the right balance in the team.
Akmal lauded Pandya’s ability with bat and ball as he advised Pakistan’s Ashraf to take the onus and started displaying his skills on the big stage.
“The Indian white-ball team is never complete without Hardik Pandya. He is there every time an Indian team is announced in white-ball cricket. You look at his record, he has won matches for his team with both, bat and ball. It is time Faheem Ashraf also starts to perform like him,” said Akmal on his official YouTube channel.
The former wicketkeeper batter pointed out that Ashraf has not shown much maturity in the chances he got but it’s time for him to develop his game.
“It has been so long now, he has to show some maturity. I want Faheem Ashraf to be a surety in Pakistan’s white-ball team whenever it’s announced yet. He has to develop himself as all-rounder. He has to show that responsibility,” he added.
Akmal further said that the chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq, captain Babar Azam and the team management have shown faith in him but he hasn’t been able to produce something special.
“It’s a big thing for him that the team management, the coach, Babar, and even Inzamam bhai, who has just arrived, have all shown faith in him. He doesn’t have noteworthy performances of late, in domestic cricket as well as in PSL. Despite that, they’re showing confidence on him and it’s time he does justice to it,” said the former wicketkeeper.
However, Ashraf has been picked in Pakistan’s squad for the upcoming series against Afghanistan and the mega Asia Cup 2023.
Pakistan’s squad for Asia Cup 2023 and Afghanistan ODIs:
Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Tayyab Tahir and Saud Shakeel (only for Afghanistan series), Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Haris, Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi.
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