PCB should invest in U-19 players: Wasim Akram

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ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan cricket captain Wasim Akram has said that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) must invest in Under-19 players. The former legendary pacer cited the example of cricket greats such as Ramiz Raja, Shoaib Mohammad, Basit Ali, Aamir Sohail, Inzamamul Haq, Mushtaq Ahmed and Waqar Younis, all of whom were products of U-19 cricket. Wasim, who recently trained players in a two-week fast-bowling camp at National Stadium in Karachi, said all the players in the camp were very talented and ready to play good cricket. “It is up to the selectors and the PCB now to arrange U-19 and A-teams tours for these players and play them to judge their improvement,” he said. “I am very happy with the progress of these young bowlers. They are working very hard and are hungry to learn and do as advised,” he said.

He said he also instructed the players to set their own field. “Field setting is the bowler’s job and not of the captain, a captain can help a young bowler but ultimately it’s the bowler’s job.” He said he was only adjusting players’ run-ups and making few changes with their action so that they can bowl better and faster. “Bowling fast is not that easy as you have to be super fit to bowl fast for 20 years,” he said. He said talent alone cannot make one a great bowler; persistent hard work was what it take to become a world-class bowler. “I told the players to bowl slower ones which move away from the batsman, so when a batsman tries to hit, the ball will get a leading edge.” He said he was not going to change actions of Ziaul Haq and Ahmed Jamal because they have pace and they have been playing domestic cricket for so long. “I am just letting them know how to read the wicket, how to use the crease, which length one should ball at a certain wicket and when to bowl bouncers,” he said adding as a bowler, one can judge the behaviour of the wicket after just three balls.