Cricket World Cup 2015: Playing Umar Akmal as wicketkeeper was a mistake, says Imran Khan

KARACHI: Legendary Pakistan all-rounder Imran Khan today said the move to play part-time wicketkeeper Umar Akmal in their cricket World Cup match against India was a mistake.

The cricketer-turned politician said that Pakistan had blundered by going for Akmal.

"I always believed in having specialist players and I think playing Umar as a keeper was a mistake and it cost us," he said.

Akmal dropped Kohli to allow the Indian to race to his 22nd ODI hundred and set up a big total for India.

"I watched a cricket game after a long time today and my sons were also with me. I think Virat Kohli was the key for India and batted very sensibly while the way our fast bowlers delivered in the end was very satisfying," Imran said on a local television channel.

Imran stated that he had not watched some of the new players in the team but stressed the need for consistency in selection.

"Today's pitch was very good for batting but chasing 300 even than is always a psychological pressure," he said.

Imran said that Misbah had again shown he had a good cricket brain as a captain and batsman.

"He has a big role to play in this World Cup because he is batting very well and he is a very sensible and stable captain but at times I think he needs to push for wickets," the former great noted.

Imran insisted that even in one-day cricket Pakistan would have to focus on taking wickets.

"Even on flat tracks we have to search for wickets because if you take wickets it brings the batting side under pressure," he added.

"Misbah has emerged as a very sensible captain who had brought stability to the national team. He is in very good form and that is good for Pakistan because at times a captain in form can spur his team to perform beyond their capabilities," Imran said.

He said there was still a long way to go in the World Cup and Pakistani batsmen needed to show more patience.