Not only mum proud of Umar's test debut

He did it for his mum.

Before he came to University Oval yesterday Umar Akmal phoned his mother in Lahore and vowed to make a great fist of his test debut.

He did that with 129 and speaking through his coach, Intikhab Alam, last night Umar described it as an incredible feeling.

"He spoke to his mother before he came to the ground, it was his dream come true to make a hundred on his debut," Intikhab said.

"He would like to dedicate it to his parents. I feel very proud of him, he's a very exciting cricketer.

"His mother said she will be praying for him and she hoped he would score some runs. She told him to just relax and take it easy. But he didn't listen to her."

Umar is a shot-a-ball batsman. He played some incredible straight pull shots and he drives and cuts as well as any up-and-comer that has been to these shores in recent seasons.

Intikhab has been around the block a few times and rates Umar up with the best.When asked if he was better than Javed Miandad at the same age, Intikhab paused for a minute before saying.

"Javed was a different type of player. Javed was more of an accumulator, he was a great cricketer, his record speaks for itself but this guys is something very special.

"He's a very hard working, very dedicated young person, a very exciting cricketer.

"We are very lucky to have him in the side, he has a great future with Pakistan.

"We were in a lot of trouble at 85-5 but the good thing about this youngster is he never gets under pressure. He plays his own natural game, this is what I like."

Umar mostly sat silently alongside his coach but he became more animated when asked about the 176-run partnership with his brother, Kamran Akmal, and at having his brother with him when he became the 11th Pakistan batsman to score a century on debut.

"After he got a hundred his brother told him to start again," Intikhab said.

- © Fairfax NZ News