Kamran Akmal names three promising wicketkeepers, backup keeper for World Cup

Former Pakistan cricketer, Kamran Akmal, has identified a trio of upcoming talented wicketkeepers in Pakistan and suggested a reserve option as keeper for the upcoming 2023 World Cup in India.

In an exclusive interview with Cricket Pakistan, Akmal acknowledged the abundance of promising wicketkeepers in Pakistan, including Muhammad Haris and Rohail Nazir, who have proven their talent in recent matches. 

While these youngsters have huge potential, Akmal believes that grooming them further and providing them with ample opportunities to gain international experience is essential before thrusting them into high-stakes tournaments.

"There are so many youngsters available such as Muhammad Haris, who is a part of the T20 team and playing XI, and so is Rizwan. He is also an equally good option. Rohail Nazir is being groomed, too - he recently made a comeback and gave an excellent performance in Zimbabwe, and now he is going to Australia, taking the team as a captain. Then Haseebullah he's a batsman but needs to improve a little bit in wicket-keeping. All these three youngsters are fantastic. However, they should be given enough room to play cricket for an extensive period. Currently, they are doing tours which is a good thing. Once they enter international cricket, they wouldn't be facing any problems then, so let them play wherever they are playing for now,” Akmal said.

Akmal also emphasized the importance of having a mature and reliable wicketkeeper in the World Cup squad to handle pressure situations, especially if the first-choice wicketkeeper faces any unforeseen issues or injuries.