Kamran Akmal

Kamran Akmal (Punjabi, Urdu: ; born 13 January 1982) is a Pakistani cricket administrator, coach and former cricketer, who played for Pakistan as a right-handed batsman & wicketkeeper.

He started his international career in November 2002 with a Test match at Harare Sports Club.

His form against the touring England in 2005 made him one of the most important players in the team.

Naturally, he is a batsman that plays lower down the order but has also opened in limited over formats.

As an opener he has scored two back to back centuries in ODIs against England.

Coming in lower down the order in Test matches, he played one memorable innings.

He saved Pakistan from a score of 39/6, scoring a century, to a competitive 245 which helped Pakistan win the match and the series.

He married the daughter of former Test cricketer Mohammad Ilyas in 2006 and lives with his wife and children.

Kamran Akmal was a quick-scoring batsman and a wicket-keeper, who has achieved 6 centuries in Test cricket.

However, his first century was vital – his 109 from the number eight position at Mohali, coming in with Pakistan in a lead of 39 against India in the first Test, ensured that the visitors could draw the match.

His batting was highly productive in early 2006 as he scored seven international hundreds within the space of 6 months.

Since his tour of England in Summer 2006 however his batting form dwindled and steadily become worse.

His wicket-keeping also worsened and dropped many catches on both the England tour and on a tour to South Africa in early 2007.

He then scored an international hundred in the Bangladeshi tour of Pakistan in 2008.

He later moved to have some injuries and did not play for some days but later he was again brought into the team.

Akmal was dropped for the 2008 Asia Cup as a result of his poor wicket-keeping.

He was replaced by Sarfraz Ahmed who performed very well at the domestic level and also because of Sarfraz's strong showing in the U-19 World Cup.

Akmal was named in the 30-man probable squad for the 2008 ICC Champions Trophy.

On 12 November 2008, Akmal hit three consecutive 6s in the last over.

As a result, Pakistan won the first ODI in Abu Dhabi against West Indies.

Akmal was a member of the Pakistan team that won the 2009 ICC World Twenty20.

In February 2023, he announced his retirement from all forms of cricket due to his new commitments in cricket administration and coaching.

He was born to Mohammad Akmal Siddique, a senior cricket administrator, in a large family consisting of a sister and seven brothers, Kamran being the fourth of them, while two of his younger brothers, Adnan Akmal and Umar Akmal, are also professional cricketers, the former being a wicket-keeper batsman and the latter being a specialist batsman, as well as a part-time wicket-keeper.

Pakistani batsman and former captain Babar Azam is also his first cousin.

He is an alumnus of the Beaconhouse School System.

Akmal was part of the Pakistan team that won the T20 World Cup in 2009.

He was notable for his quick stumpings, dismissing 4 batsmen in one match against Netherlands.

He did not participated in the IPL 2009 because Pakistani players were not allowed to play in that season as a result of the tense atmosphere after the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Kamran was picked ("bought") for US$70,000 by the Peshawar Zalmi side.

On 17 July 2010, Akmal was appointed the vice-captain of the Pakistani Test squad but later removed because of his alleged involvement in spot fixing.

In August 2012, Akmal was recalled for the three ODI series against Australia.

In March 2013, he played the five ODI matches of the tour to South Africa.

In May 2013, he played an ODI for the tour to Scotland, the second ODI being abandoned because of rain, while few days later he also played both ODIs against Ireland.

In June 2013, he was part of the national squad for the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy.

In April 2017, he played the three ODIs of the tour to the West Indies, these matches being the last time he would play for the national team.

In February 2023, Akmal announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.

Akmal was signed on to the Rajasthan Royals, and played in the inaugural season of the IPL.

He played five matches in the tournament, as a Wicket-keeper and top-order batsman, including the final of the tournament against the Chennai Super Kings.

He took two catches in the first innings, however, he was run out for only six runs during the Royal's chase.

The Royals won the tournament after a thrilling finish.