Akram turns down offer to join special task team: PCB official

Lahore: Former Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram has turned down an invitation from the PCB to join a special task team, which will seek to recommend measures for improvements in domestic cricket.

The PCB said in a statement that Akram had declined the invitation because of his personal and professional commitments. "He was invited to be on the high powered committee but he has informed the board he is not available since he already has many professional and personal commitments lined up," a board official said. Akram has repeatedly maintained that he would never ask the board for any assignment and if they wanted to utilise his expertise they should come with an offer. The official said the task team was approved by board chairman, Zaka Ashraf, who was keen to see the standard of domestic cricket improve. The committee, ironically, is headed by former captain and coach, Intikhab Alam, who, during the tenure of former chairman, Ijaz Butt, was seen as the blue-eyed man. During Butt`s tenure, Intikhab got choice assignments like being appointed coach of the national team, than manager and then asked to head the national cricket academy. Butt also appointed him to head the committee that was constituted to shortlist, interview and recommend candidates for coaching positions in the national team. "Intikhab will chair the task team on domestic cricket as he is a well respected and experienced person," the official said. The task team includes big names like former captains Javed Miandad, Zaheer Abbas, Imtiaz Ahmed and Moin Khan and former players Iqbal Qasim and Sarfaraz Nawaz. The official said that Zakir Khan, who is director of domestic cricket in Pakistan, will be secretary of the task team. The formation of the task team committee is the first major decision taken by Ashraf since he took over as chairman in late October. The PCB official said the task team will study and review the existing structure of domestic cricket, consider its weaknesses and strengths, and will propose changes if required. "The body will meet and deliberate at the times and places of their convenience. They will meet as many times as they consider appropriate to undertake the study and review," the official added. But he made it clear that the task team`s recommendations will not be binding on PCB. The team will submit its recommendations to the PCB within two months of its formulation. PTI