Wasim Akram urges PCB to revive club cricket after England series loss
He said Pakistan must develop young talent through a strong domestic cricket structure.
Speaking to the media in Lahore, Akram urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to continue its new domestic system for at least three to four years. He said frequent changes would not allow the system to produce results.
PSL has produced bowlers but no major batter
“PSL has completed 10 years, but not a single batter has emerged from it,” the former skipper said. He added that the Pakistan Super League (PSL) had produced bowlers but had not developed a leading batter.
Akram also recalled Pakistan’s defeats against Bangladesh in both home and away series. He said the “alarm bells were already ringing” but the authorities had failed to take timely action.
“Whatever the coach, even if you bring the best coach, I or [Gary] Kirsten, the talent you have is the same,” Akram said. He stressed that changing coaches alone would not solve the team’s problems.
Former captain criticises inconsistent selection
Akram said Pakistan needed a stable team but criticised the repeated selection and removal of the same players. “The team should have consistency, but the same boys keep coming and going,” he added.
He strongly supported the revival of club cricket and said young players must receive proper opportunities at the grassroots level. “Talent has to come from club cricket,” Akram said.
The former captain urged the PCB to invest Rs100,000,000 each in Karachi and Lahore to strengthen cricket activities. He said a solid grassroots system was necessary to discover and develop future players.
Red-ball cricket remains a major concern
Akram said Pakistan’s white-ball team was performing reasonably well, but the red-ball side remained a serious concern. “White-ball is fine, but red-ball is not. We face difficulties in that,” he said.
Discussing the pace attack, Akram advised people not to judge bowlers too quickly. “Bowling one delivery at 150 kilometres per hour is not a major achievement, while maintaining 140kph throughout the day is exceptional,” the “Sultan of Swing” added.
Akram also questioned Shaheen Afridi’s reduced pace and described him as an experienced bowler. He said England needed players with experience and suggested Aaqib Javed’s name for the bowling setup.
“If I were there, I would say I need Aaqib Javed. He has bowled well in England recently,” Akram said. He also called for variety in Pakistan’s pace attack instead of relying on bowlers with similar speed.
Akram raises communication concerns
A day earlier, Akram had criticised the lack of communication within the national team. He said it was "embarrassing" when players and coaches leave a tour before it ends.
During an interview with cricket YouTuber Furqan Bhatti, Akram called for better communication and greater consistency within the team management. "Consistency is the key, of course, but for how long? When seven players and two coaches return in the middle of a tour, it is embarrassing for the team and the captain, and it also shows there is a lack of communication," Akram had said.
Following Pakistan’s back-to-back defeats against England, the PCB carried out major changes in the squad and coaching staff. Seven squad members were replaced, including Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq and Salman Ali Agha, while Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke were brought in as white-ball head coach and assistant coach.
Akram said Pakistan still had enough talent to succeed because he had closely observed the players through his involvement with PSL teams. "I have been involved in the PSL with these teams for the past four to five years, so I have seen the situation closely. In my view, the talent is there. Coaches may change, but the core players remain largely the same," he added.
He again urged the authorities to maintain continuity in the domestic cricket structure. Akram said the system should be given several years to produce results instead of being changed repeatedly.
Akram’s comments highlight the need for long-term planning in Pakistan cricket. Strong club cricket, stable selection and better communication could help the team build a more reliable future.
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