Akram is ideal captain: Imran

The Pakistan Cricket Board’s executive council is scheduled to meet in Lahore on January. 3 in which the captain for the Indian tour is likely to be announced.

“He (Wasim Akram) is a complete team man and I think should be made the captain of the national team,” Imran said.

“The tour of India is always something different from the tours of other countries because of different kind of pressure and I think Akram is the right man who could lead under pressure,” added Imran.

Imran, who led Pakistan to World Cup triumph in 1992 in Australia, said that he had always backed Akram as the captain. “I have highest regard for him and haveno doubt that he has all the leadership qualities. It was very unfortunate when he was removed as a captain after whitewashing the West Indies (3-0) in the Test series at home last year.”

Pakistan has changed a number of captains since the retirement of Imran in 1992. “It was again a wrong exercise. Captain should be made for a long term and not like in Pakistan where a captain is being appointed on series to series basis.”

Imran, now turned politician and heads a political party Tehrik-E-Insaaf, was of the view that recent defeats against Australia and Zimbabwe was due to lack of team spirit. Pakistan was beaten 1-0 in the three-Test series by both Australia and Zimbabwe.

“That is why I am saying that bring on Akram as skipper because he could motivate the players and bring back the team on road to victory.”Imran also said that Pakistan should finalise a list of 20 players for this year’s World Cup in England in May. “Pakistan should concentrate on building up a team for the World Cup from nowonwards. We should finalise the 20 probables as early as possible,” he said.