Wasim Says He’s Not Running After Captaincy
‘I want to retire with my name cleared from match-fixing allegations’
KARACHI: Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram has said he was not running after the captaincy for the World Cup.
Talking to ‘The News’ from East London on Friday, he said it was a wrong impression that he was keen to lead the side for the third consecutive time in the World Cup. Imran Khan is the only Pakistani who’s captained the side in three successive World Cups – 1983, '87 and '92.
Wasim insisted that his decision to appeal against the sanctions imposed on him by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on the recommendations of a match-fixing inquiry commission were not fuelled by a desire to be captain. “I’m not hungry for captaincy. I had decided to appeal against the sanctions some months ago. I just want to go from the game with my name totally cleared from the match-fixing allegations.”
Wasim said he would be returning home after the one-dayers in South Africa and then decide when to file the appeal. “Why the fuss is being created now about my appealing against the fines? I’d taken that decision a long time ago, but my international commitments didn’t allow me to follow the case. But I’d informed the PCB about my intentions and have also consulted legal experts.”
He insisted his decision to not play the Tests in South Africa was not influenced by a keenness to file the appeal well before the World Cup and stay in contention for captaincy. “I’ve decided as a matter of policy to concentrate on one-dayers and the World Cup so that I could phase myself properly and give my best as a senior to the team.”
He would not comment on the possibility of being asked to lead the team at the World Cup. “I don’t want to say anything on this, but I’m not running after captaincy, that’s for sure.”
Sources in the PCB have confirmed that before the team had left for Zimbabwe, PCB Chairman Lt Gen Tauqir Zia had spoken to Wasim and discussed the one-day squad and also decided to make him captain for the one-day squad while retaining Waqar as skipper of the Test outfit. But the decision was deferred after coach Richard Pybus and some senior players spoke to the chairman and requested him not to change the captain and wait for the results in Zimbabwe and South Africa.
**There’ve been indications that the PCB and the selectors aren’t sure that Waqar commanded an automatic place in the one-day squad and are giving serious thought to making Wasim captain for the World Cup.
But the sources said that if Waqar could come away from the one-day and Test series in South Africa with good performances, he would probably continue for the World Cup.**
The main hitch in the way of the PCB should they decide to bring back Wasim as captain is that the Justice Malik Qayyum match-fixing inquiry commission had recommended against giving the responsibility of captaining the side to Wasim.
“It’s a wound which refuses to go away. These allegations have been hell for me and my family. I became a diabetic because of the tension and stress,” Wasim said. “That’s why I hope when I file my appeal it’s successful and I can then decide to retire peacefully.”
Wasim has said he intended to retire after the World Cup.
The left-arm fast bowler on Friday became the first player to appear in 350 ODIs and is Pakistan’s leading wicket-taker with 414 victims in 104 Tests and 488 ODI scalps till Friday’s match.