The International Cricket Council (ICC) is launching a global appeal to help raise money for victims of the Pakistan earthquake.
The ICC, which organised charity matches to raise funds of last year's Asian tsunami, said it was kick-starting the appeal with a donation of US$500,000.
President Ehsan Mani, who hails from Rawalpindi, one of the areas affected by the earthquake, also announced a global appeal would be held on Saturday, coinciding with the second day of the Test between Australia and the Rest of the World.
"In matters such as this, where our member countries have been so directly and critically affected, it is vital that the ICC and cricket uses its influence to be a force for good," he said.
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"We believe that's the best way that cricket can show its remorse, can show the people of the countries that have been affected that we're thinking of them," Speed told a news conference.
"We're concerned to do whatever we can to ease the suffering at this terrible time and he's (Akhtar) happy and appreciative of the approach we've taken."
