Sydney Sixers end contract with Umar Akmal

By Nadene Smith

SYDNEY, Australia (TheSportsNEXT) November 20, 2012: The Sydney Sixers, on Tuesday, terminated contract of Pakistan’s Twenty20 star player Umar Akmal after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) allowed the hard-hitting batsman to play only one match in the KFC Big Bash League.

However, world’s best off-spinner Saeed Ajmal will still represent the Adelaide Strikers in their opening match of the Australian T20 league.

The Sydney Sixers will commence the BBL campaign on December 8 against Sydney Thunder at the SCG.

The Sydney Sixers came up with the contract termination just a day after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) allowed the middle order aggressor to be part of the KFC Big Bash League 2012.

Stuart Clark, General Manager at Sydney Sixers, told reporters, “While it would have been great to have Umar Akmal here for the start of the BBL season, the short time frame offered is not in the club's best interest and we have decided to see if a suitable replacement is available rather than continue down this path”.

While the local media speculated about Sydney Sixers going after Kevin Pieteresen, Stuart Clark made it clear that the Sixers are not going to sign any foreign player just for the sake of having one in the squad.

He added, “We are confident our strong roster will be able to cover the loss of Umar should we not find a suitable replacement”.

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PCB allows Ajmal, Afridi, Umar short stint at KFC Big Bash League 2012

By Ubaid Awan

KARACHI, Pakistan (TheSportsNEXT) November 19, 2012: After a request by the Cricket Australia, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday allowed three Pakistani cricketers Saeed Ajmal, Shahid Afridi, and Umar Akmal to enjoy a short stint at the KFC Big Bash League 2012.

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The permission will mean that the three top Pakistani cricketers will miss the final stages of the local Twenty20 tournament which runs in parallel with the Australian Twenty20 competition.

The decision is also to the contrary of the PCB’s earlier stance of saving its cricketers from injuries ahead of the all-important tour to India. PCB selectors will also be going through their previous statements where they had made it mandatory for the top cricketers to make sure their presence in the domestic T20 competition to be picked for the India tour.

The top quality trio will return home for the conditioning camp in Lahore for the India tour but will miss the major part of the country’s domestic Twenty20 competition.

It is important to mention here that Saeed Ajmal is associated with the Adelaide Strikers, Shahid Afridi signed up with Sydney Thunder after transferred from Melbourne Renegades, while Umar Akmal is due to represent the Sydney Sixers in the KFC Big Bash League 2012.

Talking to local media on Monday, a PCB spokesperson said that the decision was reversed after receiving a request by the Cricket Australian and the three Pakistani cricketers will miss the final stages of the local T20 tournament to be part of the KFC Big Bash League franchises for a brief period.

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PCB stops Afridi, Umar, Ajmal, from Big Bash League participation

By Tasawwar Abbas

LAHORE, Pakistan (TheSportsNEXT) November 15, 2012: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday barred three of the country’s top Twenty20 stars Umar Akmal, Saeed Ajmal and Shahid Afridi from participating into next month’s KFC Big Bash League to prepare for the upcoming India series.

There was a growing criticism on the PCB for letting the key players participate in the Australian domestic Twenty20 competition ahead of the all-important series against India.

Former skipper Shahid Afridi was due to represent Sydney Thunder while the world’s best Twenty20 bowler Saeed Ajmal and hard-hitting Umar Akmal had signed contracts with Adelaide Strikers and Sydney Sixers, respectively.

Pakistan will play two Twenty20 Internationals and three One Day Internationals during the course of two weeks long tour to India which happens to be their first full series since 2007. Pakistan cricket team will land on Indian soil on December 22 with first match on Christmas Day.

Talking to local media persons, Chairman PCB Chaudhry Zaka Ashraf said, “Since the Big Bash League was clashing with our Twenty20 tournament we have asked the players to feature in the national event so that selectors can check their form and fitness for the selection of the squad for India.”

It is important to mention here that Shahid Afridi has already presented his services for the domestic Twenty20 cricket tournament which will be played either in either Multan or Karachi from December 2, 2012.

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