A side with five captains cannot perform well, says Umar Akmal

Pakistan cricketer Umar Akmal has raised questions over the presence of five captains in the national team.

The Greenshirts are set to face Bangladesh in a five-match T20I series in May.

The series, which is part of the Future Tour Programme (FTP), originally consisted of three ODIs and three T20Is.

However, both the boards agreed to replace the ODIs with two additional T20Is.

All-rounder Salman Agha is currently leading Pakistan’s T20 side after replacing wicketkeeping batter Mohammad Rizwan, who is the ODI captain.

Ahead of the Bangladesh series, Umar Akmal has pointed out the presence of five captains in the Pakistan team.

Speaking on a private TV channel, the middle-order suggested that any side with five captains in the Playing XI cannot perform.

“We have seen Shadab Khan, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Agha and Shaheen Afridi made and replaced as captains. Do you think the team will perform if they are part of the Playing XI?” Umar Akmal said.

He added, “The other option is that the [PCB] chairman puts them in a room together and tells them that you all had your chance but could not deliver. Now, you should back the new captain.”

It is worth noting here that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) named Shaheen Afridi as the T20 captain after Babar Azam’s resignation following the World Cup 2023.

However, the pacer was removed from the post just before the T20 World Cup 2024 as Pakistan Cricket reinstated Babar Azam as captain of the T20 side.

After his resignation from the post for the second time, the PCB named Mohammad Rizwan as white-ball captain.

He was replaced by Salman Agha as T20 captain, while he continues to lead the Pakistan team in the ODIs.