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Controversy is a part of culture of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), said former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram. |
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KOLKATA: Controversy is a part of culture of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), said former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram.
"Every vice-captain of our (Pakistan) cricket finds a chance to become the captain.
This has been a culture in Pakistan for decades. The vice-captain is always impatient to upstage the captain," he said.
"In my tenure, I received full cooperation from Moin (Khan) only," he said referring to the turmoil in Pakistani cricket over captaincy.
"After Inzamam was suspended, Younis Khan took over the reins. Next day I woke up and saw Mohammed Yousuf was named the captain and 24 hours later Younis was reinstated," he said.
Akram accused the PCB for all these controversies, adding, "There should be discipline in the team."
When asked about the Oval controversies, he said, "It was the umpire’s duty to make the play go on. What Darrell (Hair) did there was absolutely disgraceful."
"Ball tampering is an art. We invented it and we are the master of it. In the Ashes series, the ball swang heavily. No one said anything at that time. Then why they are saying now?" Akram asked.
Akram thinks that these controversies are going to affect the Pakistani team in the Champions trophy badly.
"A team coming in such a big tournament without a proper captain means the team is spineless," he said.
About Inzamam Ul Haq’s future, he said, "He should remain captain of the team up to the World Cup."
Wasim Akram thinks in the absence of L. Balaji and Zaheer Khan the inexperienced bowling line of India can pose a problem to the team in the Champions Trophy.
The Sultan of Swing said here that all the three countries from the subcontinent would be rated as favourites, but while India have a bowling problem, Sri Lanka looked a little rusty and Pakistan tormented by the captaincy row.
Wasim Akram strongly advocated the inclusion of Zaheer Khan and Laxmipathi Balaji in the team. Akram, in the city on a promotional tour, questioned the wisdom of keeping the two bowlers out of the Indian team for the ongoing Champions Trophy.
Terming India’s bowling a weak spot, Akram felt the two experienced bowlers should have been in the team especially when Irfan Pathan was not in the best of form. He also slammed the Indian team’s experimentations with its batting order.
"Zaheer is bowling superbly and Laxmipathi has always been one of my favourites. He is a wicket taker. I can’t understand the wisdom of leaving them out, he said.
"I fail to understand why so much experimentation is going on when India needs to have a set team before important tournaments," said Akram.
"It could continue for the first two months after a new coach and captain takes their charge. But to fetch it so far is an overkill and I hear that they will continue doing that till the World Cup. It’s inexplicable," Akram said.
"If I were a fast bowler bowling now and knew Virender Sehwag will be batting at Number four and Rahul Dravid will be opening the batting with Sachin Tendulkar, I would have been so relieved. I mean Sehwag is one of the world’s best openers and why should one tamper with that," Wasim questioned.
Akram also came out in support of Pathan, saying, "He is a good player and will come out of the bad patch. What he needs is support from his team which will enable him to get back the confidence."
"He is doing a lot of practice at the nets. But he needs to realise that he is a bowler who can bat and not the reverse," he added.
When asked whether he would take up the role of the Indian team’s bowling coach, Akram ducked with a smile, "I want to live happily ever after."
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