MELBOURNE – Former captain of the Pakistan cricket team Wasim Akram on Thursday opened up about his refusal to a job offer from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
During an online press conference in Melbourne Wasim Akram stated that positive signals are coming from India regarding the Champions Trophy, and the PCB has made several offers to the Indian board, emphasizing that India should come to Pakistan.
He mentioned that players like Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, and Suryakumar Yadav have many fans in Pakistan and that fans are eagerly awaiting Indian players.
“I believe there should be interaction between the people of both countries, and India should consider this,” he added.
Wasim Akram noted that he hasn’t been to India in 6 or 7 years and misses the food and people there. He expressed hope that Indian players would come to Pakistan and enjoy their time.
The former fast bowler acknowledged that conditions in Australia are challenging and that the series for Pakistan won’t be easy. “If we win even one ODI, it will be a significant achievement, while the T20 series should go well,” he said.
Regarding the controversy surrounding Fakhar Zaman’s social media statement, Wasim Akram asserted that he is an impact player. He expressed confidence that Fakhar did not write the social media post himself and criticized whoever wrote it for not considering potential issues with the central contract. “I think this is a lesson for Fakhar Zaman; one should think carefully before posting on social media, and it’s understandable for the PCB to be upset about this matter.”
The former national team captain praised Mohsin Naqvi for doing excellent work for cricket and stated that he could run the cricket board in a professional manner. “I received a job offer, but I’m not the type to work a 9 to 5 job,” he added.
In response to a question about Mohammad Rizwan’s captaincy experience, Wasim Akram said he is a good choice and should focus on playing the game.
Regarding critics of preparing home advantage pitches, Wasim Akram remarked, “We don’t need enemies; we have enough of our own. Criticism of home advantage is baffling. I have been saying for 5 or 6 years to create turning pitches, regardless of winning or losing. Thankfully, someone thought about it, and after losing three consecutive Test matches, we won two in a row.”
Wasim Akram expressed happiness that young players are being given opportunities to prepare for the 2026 T20 World Cup. He urged players like Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah to focus on the game, ignore social media, play cricket, and enjoy themselves. “Babar Azam should also forget about captaincy; he should focus on playing and scoring runs,” he concluded.
