Shoaib Akhtar has expressed his desire to become PCB president.
Shoaib Akhtar is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers in cricket history. The 47-year-old former pacer had a remarkable 14-year career, representing the Men in Green in 46 Tests, 163 ODIs, and 15 T20I matches. He was part of the Pakistani side that reached the final of the 1999 ODI World Cup and holds the record for the fastest delivery ever bowled in international cricket. His sheer speed and skill made him a formidable opponent and a fan favorite.
Akhtar played his final match for Pakistan during the 2011 ODI World Cup, which was co-hosted by India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Even after almost 12 years of retirement, he remains one of the most influential figures in the Pakistani cricket community. The ‘Rawalpindi Express’ is never hesitant to share his thoughts on the current state of Pakistan and international cricket.
In a recent interview with a local Pakistani television channel, the renowned pacer, who has 444 wickets to his name in international cricket, expressed his ambition to become the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in order to bring about significant changes to the system for the betterment of his nation’s cricket. He hopes to use his experience and knowledge to create superstars of the sport.
“I want to become PCB chairman and produce superstars for Pakistan. I want to produce 50 superstars for my country, then increase the count to 100, 200 and eventually 2000. I owe a lot to Pakistan cricket and it’s my wish to serve Pakistan,” Shoaib Akhtar.
— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) February 19, 2023
“I want to become PCB chairman and produce superstars for Pakistan. I want to produce 50 superstars for my country, then increase the count to 100, 200 and eventually 2000. I owe a lot to Pakistan cricket, and it’s my wish to serve Pakistan,” he said on Suno News.
According to Akhtar, Pakistani players often find it difficult to express their opinions due to their lack of proficiency in English. He is determined to help his country’s players improve their communication skills.
“Abhi aap dekh le, koi character nahi team mein. Naa koi baat karne ka tarika. (You can see there’s no character in the team, nor do they know how to talk.) How awkward it looks when they come to the presentation. Kitna mushkil hai English seekhna aur baat krna? (How difficult is it to learn and speak English?). Cricket is one job, and handling media is another. If you can’t speak, I am sorry, but you won’t be able to express yourself on TV,” Akhtar added.
Ramiz Raja, the former Pakistan captain, was removed as the PCB chief in late 2022 and Najam Sethi succeeded him. At present, Sethi is leading Pakistan cricket, but Akhtar is eager to take up the top post in the future in order to cultivate more cricketing superstars in the country. With his vast experience and knowledge of the game, Akhtar is confident that he can bring about a new era of success for Pakistan cricket.
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