Akram back from HK, hopes to be in side soon (1 Oct 1997)

01 October 1997

Akram back from HK, hopes to be in side soon

By Our Sports Reporter

KARACHI, Sept 30: Star pacer Wasim Akram returned from Hong Kong after steering Pakistan to victory in the sixes tournament and immediately vowed to be back in action very shortly.

"I think I will be available for the second Test against South Africa starting from Oct 16 at Sheikhupura," Wasim Akram said from Lahore. Akram said he underwent a successful operation in London and was now feeling much better. He said previously he just couldn't move his arm but it was not the case now.

"I bowled an over in each match in Hong Kong and the shoulder was perfect. But it is still in the back of my mind and I will require sometime to get tension-free," Akram said from his residence. Akram said, however, bowling in Hong Kong has stiffened his side muscles. "But that is understandable because I haven't played any cricket for the last five months."

Akram, the only bowler to have taken 300 wickets in Tests and one-day internationals, said before going to Hong Kong he was bowling three overs a day. "Slowly I will increase my overs and hopefully in the next 10 days I will be able to play a first-class match to further test my fitness. "If I pass that fitness test and feel satisfied, I will convey my availability to the selectors," said Akram.

Akram said his top priority at the moment was to regain complete fitness. "I know a captain is appointed for the series but as far as I am concerned, I am more anxious to get in top fitness rather than taking over the captaincy without being able to perform my duties."

Commenting on the performance of the national team in Canada, Akram felt that the team was lacking in motivation. "It appeared that they were playing as if they were being forced to play. There seemed no interest amongst the players, unlike the enthusiasm shown by the boys against India in the second one-day international.

"For me, the exclusion of Ramiz Raja and Salim Malik was a surprise but I don't know about the actual facts. There must be some logic behind it but I don't have any clue what the actual reasons were," concluded the paceman.

Source:: Dawn (https://dawn.com/)