Veteran Pakistan wicket-keeper batsman Kamran Akmal paid a rich tribute to World Cup-winning skipper MS Dhoni, demanding a farewell like Sachin Tendulkar for the former Indian captain.
MS Dhoni had brought an end to his glorious career spanning 16 years with an unforeseen announcement on Instagram. As soon as the news of Dhoni’s retirement broke out on Saturday evening, tributes started pouring in for the much-loved former India captain.
“He was a player who took the team along. Doing captaincy is very easy, that I do captaincy and my place remains secure whether the team wins or losses, you have no concern. But Dhoni had this specialty that he was building the team and his own performance was also world-class. You can see the players he was creating, they are still No.1. He only wanted to do good for his country,” Akmal told Paktv.tv.
“Such players should not go like this, he should get a standing ovation. He should get a farewell match where he goes from the ground, like the way the great Sachin Tendulkar went. He has gone just like his name Mr. Cool. Such a player comes rarely in world cricket,” Akmal added.
“Such captains are very much required. We have seen Inzi Bhai and Younis Bhai, how they have carried the team along. MS Dhoni was destined to play for India and he did well for his nation. He is a great example in front of us. He has not only played cricket but built a team as well and taken the Indian in an upward direction. Such mentality should also be there in our captains,” Akmal said.
“Nowadays, you see that they are playing for their own positions, to secure their spots and they have no concern whether the team wins or not. Such things are harmful to any country’s team. I wish such captains come to Pakistan as well. It is a request to the current captain that unless they win and their own performance is not world-class, the way Dhoni has done, we will not be able to go up,” Akmal further added.
