Umar Akmal Counsels Mohammad Rizwan to Prioritize Team Goals Over Personal Achievements

LAHORE: Test cricketer Umar Akmal has voiced his concerns regarding Mohammad Rizwan’s recent performances, advising him to enhance his gameplay and embrace a more contemporary approach.

During a recent appearance on a local television program, Akmal suggested that the wicketkeeper-batsman seemed overly concerned with topping the run charts in the tenth season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

“That’s not the way to make a comeback,” Akmal commented.

“It appears Rizwan is playing solely to secure his return to the team. Even a modest score of 20 runs should contribute to a team victory. If the team wins, selectors will naturally recognize Rizwan’s valuable contributions to the team’s success.

“You cannot engineer a successful comeback by focusing exclusively on individual performance,” he restated.

He further stressed that Rizwan needs to accelerate his scoring rate and cautioned that persisting with his current strategy could jeopardize his place even in the One Day International (ODI) lineup.

Akmal warned that if Rizwan underperforms in a series or two, both as a captain and as a batter, he could face significant challenges in the future.

While commenting on Pakistan’s current tactics, he asserted that the conventional mindset of aiming for scores of just 200 or 250 runs to win matches is outdated in today’s fast-paced cricket environment.

“Those days are over. Teams must aim for totals of 350 or more in ODIs to be competitive. Achieving high scores is now crucial for securing victories,” he added.

In a separate recommendation, Akmal urged PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi to convene discussions with the captains of both the red-ball and white-ball teams to promote improvements in Pakistan Cricket.

“I urge the chairman to meet with both captains and provide them with explicit guidance. We must adopt an aggressive, modern style of play, regardless of pitch conditions. Only then can we expect to see genuine progress in our cricket,” he concluded.