Umar Akmal has been left out of Pakistan’s centrally contracted players’ list for the new season, capping a disastrous year that saw him fail numerous fitness tests and get involved in a spat with a teammate.
The 27-year-old batsman was dropped from the West Indies tour in April for failing a fitness test and met with the same fate ahead of the Champions Trophy in England where he failed not one but two fitness tests.
In April, the Pakistan board set up an inquiry committee to look into an altercation between Umar and Junaid Khan, where the former questioned the unavailability of Khan for a domestic match.
The Pakistan management has now sent a clear message to Umar that there can be no compromise when it comes to fitness and discipline.
“The central contracts were awarded after keeping in mind the performances, fitness, and discipline of the players. A number of young players have been awarded contracts this year keeping in mind that the national teams in all formats will be going through a transition period after a number of retirements from last year,” the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in its statement.
Fast bowler Hasan Ali – Pakistan’s Champions Trophy hero – was handed a Grade B contract while opening batsman Fakhar Zaman and leg-spinner Shadab Khan were given Grade C contracts.
In all, 35 players were given central contracts.
Category A: Azhar Ali, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Amir.
Category B: Babar Azam, Imad Wasim, Asad Shafiq, Hasan Ali.
Category C: Wahab Riaz, Rahat Ali, Haris Sohail, Sami Aslam, Shan Masood, Sohail Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Junaid Khan, Ahmed Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Shahdab Khan.
Category D: Mohammad Nawaz, Asif Zakir, Usman Salahuddin, Amir Yamin, Usman Shinwari, Fahim Ashraf, Ruman Raees, Imam ul Haq, Bilal Asif, Mir Hamza, Umer Amin, Mohammad Hasan, Mohammad Asghar, Mohammad Rizwan.
