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Enough, says Akram

Peeved at the treatment meted out to him by the Pakistan Cricket Board, ace all rounder and former skipper Wasim Akram is thinking of calling it a day.

In a hard-hitting interview, Akram, holder of the world record for the highest number of wickets in one day internationals and the only player to have over 300 wickets in both forms of the game, blamed the PCB for forcing him to reassess his present standing in international cricket, and said he would announce his decision by month-end.

''I have a feeling that I am no longer needed by the board," said Akram. "I am tired of this mudslinging.''

Akram has led the national side in 17 Tests and 72 one-dayers. Akram has two hat-tricks in one-day cricket, in which he claimed 356 wickets in 247 matches. Of his 72 essays as captain, he led Pakistan to 43 wins against 28 defeats. His record as Test captain is nine wins against four losses.

Akram said he is yet to be intimated by the board to join the national cricket camp for the coming season. Pakistan takes on India in the third edition of the Sahara Cup in Toronto, Canada from September 12.

The only information he had, he said, was that he should be present in Pakistan to answer the judges' panel hearing the match-fixing and betting cases.

He said he did not want to retire prematurely as ''I am fit and have the urge to do well at the international level''.

Akram said he was offered captaincy of the team when he met PCB chief Khalid Mahmood last month. ''I did not want such solutions from the board. I am much happier to play as an ordinary player," he said.

Akram said he told the PCB chief that the board must groom young blood for the captaincy.

Referring to the allegations of betting and match-fixing, Akram said, ''One cannot dig much out of mere allegations. The only thing that interests the PCB is taking on senior players on rumours.''

He said the things that the enquiry committee wanted to discuss centered around lack of evidence. ''What I want from the board is guidance, and not constant bickering over betting,'' he said. ''I am so tired of this, I wish I could go home and sleep through the period,'' an obviously anguished Akram bursts out, in the interview.

Related Links:
Career Statistics: Test Matches
Career Statistics: One-Day Internationals