PakPassion.net has learnt that Guyana Amazon Warriors have signed Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal for the 2015 edition of the Caribbean Premier League tournament (CPL).
25-year old Akmal, who is known for his exciting and aggressive brand of batting, will join the CPL team from the first week of July after finishing his stint with Leicestershire, where he is representing them in the ongoing NatWest T20 Blast tournament. This will be the Pakistan batsman’s second appearance in the CPL after he played for Barbados Tridents in 2013, a spell that was eventually cut short when he fell ill and was called back to Pakistan for medical attention by the Pakistan Cricket Board. READ: Sohail Tanvir: CPL is cricket with a smile on its face
Guyana will be looking forward to adding Akmal to their ranks as the Pakistan batsman has an impressive record for his country in the 20-over format, where he has scored 1293 runs in 58 innings, with his highest score of 94 coming during the memorable World T20 clash against Australia in Mirpur last year. Umar’s fans in the Caribbean would have been further heartened by his recent exploits in the Natwest T20 Blast where on debut for Leicestershire he smashed his way to 76 runs off just 49 balls to lead his side to an impressive victory against Nottinghamshire. Umar was also in great form recently in the Super8 T20 Cup in Faisalabad for Lahore Lions where he finished the tournament as the second-highest run scorer with 216 runs at an average of 108 and at a strike-rate of 151.04. READ: Sharjeel Khan: My best is yet to come in international cricket
Understandably excited by the opportunity to play in one of the most exciting Twenty20 leagues in the world, Umar is looking forward to once again showcasing his talent in front of thousands of enthusiastic supporters in the Caribbean. READ: Shahryar Khan vows to revive Pakistan cricket’s domestic structure
“I am really looking forward to playing in the Caribbean Premier League again. The cricket is always fast-paced in this format and I do love the carnival atmosphere around the CPL matches. This is a great opportunity for me to play in front of crowds who enjoy every minute of the game. Apart from that, as a professional it is an excellent chance to share the dressing room with some of the top proponents of the T20 format. I can’t wait to represent Guyana and do my best for them and help them do well in the Caribbean Premier League” he concluded.
(Saj Sadiq is Senior Editor at PakPassion.net, from where the above article has been reproduced. He can be followed on Twitter at @Saj_PakPassion)
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