Wasim Akram claims some PCB officials don't want him to help Pakistan cricket
Former Pakistani legendary fast bowler, Wasim Akram has claimed that a few Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) members don’t want the 49-year-old to help its national cricket side to reclaim the bygone glory days.
According to a number of reports, a handful of members of the board of governors at the PCB insisted the Chairman not to seek advice from the former Pakistani test captain regarding a few cricketing decisions including that of the recent appointments that the governing body is set to make after the conclusion of the ongoing T20 World Cup in India.
In a recent interview given to Geo News channel, Wasim Akram said, “If some members don't want the Chairman to consult me or seek my advice on (the) appointment of a new coach why is this, I think it is because they don't want to see anything improve in our cricket.”
The Pakistani cricket team had fared not so well in the recently concluded Asia Cup as they were unable to qualify for the final of the tournament after losing their group stages against India and Bangladesh. They are also on the verge of elimination from the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup after they have lost two of their opening three matches of the tournament with a game against the mighty Australians to spare.
With rumors regarding the sacking of captain Shahid Afridi and coach Waqar Younis in the air, the PCB chairman Shahryar Khan has reportedly had a chat with Akram regarding the appointment of a new coach.
“I met with the Chairman for a short while at the Kolkata airport and that is all. But now I hear about this resistance to me being involved in Pakistan cricket. I am always willing to help out Pakistan cricket and do my best to improve things. But if someone doesn't want this it means they don't want to see improvement in our cricket,” the Kolkata Knight Riders bowling coach told the media.
“We need to upgrade and modernize our cricket system because at this time we are 10 years behind the other big nations,” he added.
Shakil Sheikh, who happens to be a senior member of BOG- a fact-finding committee set up by the PCB after the Asia Cup debacle- is amongst the few who have expressed their dissatisfaction with the possible involvement of Wasim Akram and Ramiz Raja in Pakistani cricket.