Kamran Akmal becomes first Asian wicketkeeper to score more than 30 FC centuries

Kamran Akmal scored his 31st FC ton in the Quad e Azam Trophy – Pakistan’s domestic league – on Saturday. He is now the Asian wicketkeeper-batsman with the most First Class centuries to his name and the second most prolific wicketkeeper-batsman in the history of cricket.

Wicketkeeper-batsman @KamiAkmal23 struck 12 fours and four sixes in his 170-ball 157 before getting stumped off Nauman Ali’s bowling on the third ball of the 88th over, which ended the day’s play.#QeA19 #CPvNORhttps://t.co/gr2qeF1GQj

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) September 21, 2019

Playing for Central Punjab against Northern in the ongoing domestic match, Akmal set the Faisalabad stadium alight with a 170-ball 157. He batted at a strike rate in excess of 92 and there were four sixes and twelve fours in his innings.

Kamran Akmal’s 31st First class 💯 is now most by any Asian Wicket Keeper and second most by any wicket keeper in the world. Incredible stuff @KamiAkmal23 🏏#QeA19 #Pakistan #Cricket pic.twitter.com/6zVuYDYMZJ

— Mohammed Faizan Najeeb (@danawalafaizan) September 21, 2019

Akmal’s 31 FC centuries is higher than more established names in Asia such as MS Dhoni and Kumar Sangakkara. In fact, there is only one wicketkeeper in the history of cricket who has more FC centuries to his name than Kamran Akmal – Les Ames (56 FC centuries), who played for Kent and England in the first half of the 20th century.

Sangakkara has 64 FC centuries to his name but most of those tons came in matches when he had been playing as a specialist batsman. Dhoni has 9 FC centuries to his name. Sri Lanka’s Kaushal Silva, with 26 FC centuries, is the Asian wicketkeeper who is closest to Kamran Akmal’s record.

Les Ames and Kamran Akmal are the two most prolific FC century scorers in the world. The third spot is held by Adam Gilchrist, with 29 FC centuries.

Despite being out of the Pakistan side since 2017, Akmal, in a recent interview said, “I will continue to play until and unless my form deserts me and I’m no longer fit enough to play,” he said. “The example of Younis Khan and Misbahul Haq is infront of us as they contributed for Pakistan despite being in their late 30s and early 40s.”