Umar Akmal to return from England after failing fitness tests

BIRMINGHAM: Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal has been asked to return from England after he failed two fitness tests in two days, ahead of the Champions Trophy next month. The selectors are considering Umar Amin and Haris Sohail as replacements.

“He has failed two fitness tests during the ongoing camp there in England ahead of Champions Trophy,” PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan told Cricinfo. “So since we have a policy not to carry unfit players, it has been decided to call him back and send a replacement. We have a deadline until May 25 so we are deliberating on the possible replacements.”

Amin and Sohail have not played ODIs for a few years. Amin’s last match was in October 2014 while Sohail played his last ODI in May 2015 in Lahore against Zimbabwe.

Akmal had been recalled to the ODI squad for the Champions Trophy, after being dropped from the team that toured West Indies in April. He had initially been excluded from that squad as well, after he was the only player, among 31, to fail the fitness test during the camp held at the NCA in March. However, he proved his fitness during the Pakistan Cup in Rawalpindi.

In an annual assessment earlier this year, Akmal had weighed 91kgs with a fat-level reading of 115.6 — a measurement of over 100 is considered high.