Pakistani wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal has opted to part ways with Peshawar Zalmi after the franchise acquired his services for the next edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). The PSL management had rejigged categories for some of the star players who are set to ply their trade in the action-packed T20 tournament conducted annually by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
Pakistan star players Mohammad Rizwan, Haris Rauf, and Asif Ali were promoted to the Platinum category – the most valuable segment of the Pakistan T20 tournament. The troika of Pakistani players had raised their stocks after helping Babar Azam’s Pakistan seal a semi-final berth in the 2021 edition of the ICC World T20. Akmal, who last played an international match in 2017, was reportedly demoted from the platinum category by the PCB in the lead-up to the players’ draft.
Though veteran Kamran was initially slotted in the Gold category, the seasoned campaigner in PSL was picked by Peshawar Zalmi in the Silver category for the seventh season of the T20 league. Taking to his YouTube channel after getting picked up by Peshawar Zalmi in the silver category, Akaml urged the franchise to release him as the veteran batter announced his withdrawal from the PSL.
“Please release me because I don’t deserve to play in this category. The lower categories are better suited for youngsters. I don’t want Peshawar Zalmi’s sympathy just because I have played for them in the past six seasons,” Akmal said.
“As far as the category is concerned, I was not happy when it was initially announced. I was very surprised to see my category demotion from Platinum to Gold despite my good track record. “I have loved playing for Peshawar Zalmi. They have great management and bunch of players,” Kamran concluded.
