Wasim Akram to coach Pakistan bowlers

Karachi, July 16: Former Pakistan captain and fast bowling legend Wasim Akram will finally be working again on an assignment for the PCB.

Akram, who is now a well-known cricket analyst on sports channels and bowling consultant of IPL side Kolkata Knight Riders, will supervise a fast bowlers camp at the National Stadium here from August 1 to 12.

The camp will be held after a series of open trials in five cities across the nation in late July to select a group of talented young pace bowlers, who will then attend the main camp under the Sultan of Swing along with some Pakistan players.

Akram had also held a similar camp for fast bowlers here in 2013, but since then has complained that the Pakistan Cricket Board has not utilised his services.

"What should I do? beg of them to involve in some work...I can't do anything unless they tell me and offer me some assignment," the left-arm pacer had said during the last World Cup.

The camp is the final stage of a hunt for fast bowling talent, which will be jointly organised by the PCB and electronics giant LG in five cities from where a final pool of talent would be picked.

In a PCB video release Akram said: "There is no shortage of fast-bowling talent in Pakistan and all they need is the right education.

"I'm coming to groom the future pacers of our country and to share what fast-bowling is all about. Nature has endowed Pakistani fast-bowlers with just the right amount of speed for this particular brand of bowling and I'll try to enhance their capabilities," he added.

Talking about the prospects of working with the nation's young lot, Akram remarked, "I look forward to working with the boys and I'm grateful to the PCB for arranging this camp. It gives me a chance to give something back to my country."

Akram is ranked among the fast bowling greats and has said number of times that he is ready to give something back to Pakistan cricket.

PTI