Pakistan one-day and Twenty20 skipper Shahid Afridi has advised wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal to take a break from Test cricket before the 2011 World Cup. Akmal, who had a torrid tour of Australia earlier this year, got twice embroiled in match-fixing allegations.“I know Kamran (Akmal) might not necessarily agree with my suggestion, but I think he needs to start focusing on one-day and T20 cricket for which he is a class player,” Afridi told Geo Super channel.
“I know he has struggled in recent matches because of which there is lot of pressure on him. But he has been working hard to improve his keeping, especially, against spinners. I think he needs to take a break,” Afridi said.
Asked about the continued absence of any Pakistani T20 squad in the lucrative Champions League, Afridi said India have never been supportive. “Leave alone the Champions League, tell me when has India ever supported Pakistan cricket?” Afridi said.
“The truth is we have always been there to support India, Sri Lanka or Bangladesh. But when time came for them to support us, they left us isolated. It is time we realised that Pakistan does not have many friends internationally and it is time we learnt to become self-reliant,” he added.
