Poor harvest, unfair Kohli comparison frustrate Umar Akmal
It is hard to say which of the two things frustrate talented batsman Umar Akmal more: his inability over the past four years to impress successive Pakistan team managements that he should be given a consistent chance to bat higher up the order in ODIs or a growing and unfair comparison with Indian fulcrum Virat Kohli.
"I bat in a position where I can click sometimes and don't at other times. If I get to bat higher up the order, I am sure I will do well," the 24-year-old told reporters at St Peter's College after an intense net session. "I am trying hard from my side but we have had batting mishaps in the first two games."
For the record, Umar has batted any higher than No. 5 only in six of his 98 innings and has not scored more than 28 runs in any of them. Both his centuries and 11 of his 20 half-centuries have come when batting at No. 6. It was quite surprising to hear him express a desire to bat higher in the midst of Pakistan's World Cup campaign.
"There was pressure batting at No. 6, but I am not complaining and will serve Pakistan team whatever position I am asked to bat in. I don't think I need to tell the team management that I bat higher up the order in first-class cricket. I am sure that the time is not far when they will trust me to bat higher, at No. 3 or No. 4 in ODIs," he said.
Umar is also irritated by comparisons with India star Virat Kohli, both of whom figured in the ICC Youth World Cup in Kuala Lumpur in 2008. "I have been told that I don't compare with Virat Kohli. He bats at a different position to me. If he bats at No. 6 or No. 7 and performs, or when I get a couple of series at a higher position, I can accept the comparison," he said.
"I am trying my hardest to deliver my best. I am confident. Our coaching staff, (Assistant Manager) Shahid Aslam and batting coach Grant Flower, are helping me. I am also working with Assistant coach Mushtaq Ahmed to try and convert my starts into big innings," Umar said.
"When I get to bat for long durations, I have scored 80s and 90s as well as a hundred against Afghanistan under pressure (Pakistan were 116 for six at one stage and finished with 248 for eight in the Asian Cup in Bangladesh in February 2014)
"I try to give my 100 per cent. The rest is god's will. I want to play at my best so that not only Pakistan team but also the Cricket Board, the people of Pakistan and the world remember me as a good player in the World Cup. Believe me I am not satisfied that I have not won a single Man-of-the-Match award yet in the World Cup. I will try for that in every game now. If I win the award, Pakistan team will automatically win."
He was reminded that no Pakistan batsman had got a hundred while Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara had made four in a row, and he was laconic with his response. "I can tell you that we are trying our best. You will get a better answer from the team management if you ask them this question," Umar said.
Yet, it was not as if he was being critical of the team management. In fact, he started off the media interaction by pointing out that the team management had not criticised the players after the first two defeats. "I will give full credit to the team management, our captain and our seniors for having taken the youngsters along and boosting their morale. The results are before you. We will try hard not to lose any matches now and win the World Cup," he said.
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