Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to give newly appointed coaches and consultants at least a year. In the wake of the team’s disastrous ODI World Cup campaign, the PCB has made several changes in the team’s management.
Former all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez has replaced Mickey Arthur as team manager. He will also serve as the team’s head coach for the upcoming series against Pakistan. Grant Bradburn was Pakistan’s head coach until the World Cup.
The PCB also replaced Inzamam-ul-Haq with Wahab Riaz as chief selector, besides bringing in Kamran Akmal, Salman Butt and Rao Iftikhar as consultants to the chief selector. Babar Azam also resigned as captain and was replaced by Shan Masood and Shaheen Afridi as Test and T20I captains respectively.
Message from Wasim Akram to the PCB and his fans:
As players like Mohammad Hafeez and Wahab Riaz prepare for their first assignment as coach and chief selector respectively, Wasim Akram has extended his support. On Monday (December 4), he posted a video on X to wish luck to the Pakistan team, as well as the new appointees, ahead of the three-match Test series against Australia.
“The Pakistan team has arrived in Australia. I wish you all the best, especially the new guys. With Hafeez as cricket director/coach, Wahab as chief selector and Kamran Akmal and others, give them some time. They are the current cricketers, it’s their turn. Let’s give them a year.
“And one more piece of advice, don’t hold press conferences every 3 minutes. Stick to your decisions. If you have made a decision, you must know the consequences, whether they will happen or not. So decide first. Stick to your decisions. Be brave,” he added.
– Stick to your decisions and be brave… #Cricket #Pakistan pic.twitter.com/greyXxgtvq
– Wasim Akram (@wasimakramlive) December 4, 2023
The three-match Test series is scheduled to begin on December 14 in Pakistan. The visitors have not won a Test in Australia since 1999 and have been whitewashed in their last five Test series in the country. They will be desperate to change their record in the next series.
Pakistan Team:
Shan Masood (c), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (week), Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi
Australia team:
(first test only) Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Lance Morris, Steve Smith, Mitch Starc, David Warner
Australia vs Pakistan Test Series Schedule:
First test: December 14-18, Perth Stadium
Second Test: December 26-30, MCG
Third test: January 3-7, SCG
