Wasim Akram reveals why he is not coaching Pakistan

Over the years, we have seen former the Pakistani skipper Wasim Akram get associated with various franchises that part in the T20 leagues. We have seen the exceptional bowling display of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Indian Premier League (IPL), with the man from Lahore as their bowling coach. What we haven’t seen is Akram giving advice to the likes of Hasan Ali and Rumman Raees.

Any Pakistani supporter will want their legendary skipper to coach the budding talents, who will dominate the pace bowling circuit of the world in the years to come, thereby upholding Pakistan’s romance with pace. He was present at the Sharjah Book Fair, where he had to encounter this question.

According to the reports in Gulf News India, he replied, “Pakistan is today the champion of the champions and No. 1 in T20 format so why should I be the coach? I am willing to help anyone. I have given tips to India’s Irfan Pathan, Zaheer Khan and as a sportsman I will help anyone whoever comes to me asking for tips. I don’t care whether he is from Pakistan, India or Bangladesh.”

When Afridi annoyed Wasim Akram

The media platforms went berserk yesterday when Shahid Afridi took 4 wickets and scored 37 runs from just 17 balls in a Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) encounter. There was a time when Akram was miffed at Afridi for his reckless style of batting.

Recalling old incidents, the owner of 502 ODI wickets said: “Many times I had asked him to start hitting only after getting a feel of the pitch and bowlers, but Afridi will hit the first ball boom for a boundary, the second ball too the same way. So once I asked him why he is unable to follow my instruction and he said: ‘Once I reach the middle I cannot control, after all I am a Pathan’.”