`Out-of-favour` Akmal declares himself fit to make Pak return

Karachi [Pakistan], Mar.7 (ANI): Pakistan's out-of-favour wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal, who stole the limelight in the recently-concluded Pakistan Super League (PSL), has declared himself absolutely fit to play in all three formats of the game for the national side. The 35-year-old, who represented PSL champions Peshawar Zalmi, emerged as the second-highest scorer in the tournament with 504 runs from 21 games he played for the side. Giving example of Test skipper Misbah-ul-Haq's fitness at the age of 43, Akmal insisted that some people are unnecessarily making an issue of his age despite proving his fitness. "At 35, I am quite fit to play in all three formats. Misbah is still fit [and playing] at the age of [approximately] 43 but some people are making an issue of my age," the Dawn quoted Akmal as saying. Kamran, who has 53 Tests and 154 ODIs and 54 T20s under his belt, said that although he had been performing well in the last couple of domestic seasons, it is absolutely up to the selectors to choose him in the national squad. "Instead of getting disappointed, I tried my best to continue playing my best cricket in domestic circuit during which my confidence played a vital role," Kamran said. The wicketkeeper-batsman also expressed his views on successful PSL final in Lahore, saying that the credit should be given to former T20 skipper Shahid Afridi and Peshawar Zalmi owner Javed Afridi who amid security concerns successfully convinced their foreign players to travel to the provincial capital. Akmal, who played his last match for Pakistan during a T20 series against West Indies in 2014, scored a brilliant ton to guide Zalmi to PSL final before contributing significant 40 runs during his side's 58-run win over Quetta Gladiators in the league showdown at the Gaddafi Stadium on March 5. It should be noted that this was the first match hosted by Pakistan since the terror attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in 2009,when six Pakistani policemen were killed and some of the visiting players were injured. (ANI)