Pakistan wooing Akram

A desperate Pakistan Cricket Board has finally decided to ask legendary left-arm bowler Wasim Akram to coach his country’s speedsters i...

A desperate Pakistan Cricket Board has finally decided to ask legendary left-arm bowler Wasim Akram to coach his country’s speedsters in “special build-up sessions” ahead of the historic home series against India next month.

Also to be invited for coaching assignments are former greats Imran Khan and Aaqib Javed as Pakistan resort to last-minute measures and think of ways to curb the daunting Indian batting line-up currently in full flow in Australia.

“The PCB has decided to seek the expertise of former fast bowling greats — Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and Aaqib Javed — to hold special build-up sessions with the present pacers to prepare them for the series against India,” PCB chief executive Ramiz Raja said.

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Akram’s assistance and advice to Indian bowlers, particularly to young left-arm speedster Irfan Pathan, has become a subject of hot debate in the country but Raja said PCB did not think it was a big issue. Raja said Akram would be approached for help as soon as he returned next month from his present stint as commentator for the triangular series in Australia.

The new crop of pace bowlers, whom PCB wants to be coached ahead of the Indian cricket tour, include 22-year-old Mohammad Sami, the new ball partner of Shoaib Akthar. There has been some concern over Sami as he took just six wickets at the expensive rate of 45 runs per wicket in the recent five-match ODI series in New Zealand. “We want Imran and Wasim to work with him and see where he is going wrong,” Raja said.