Akram to work with Pakistan fast bowlers

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has turned to former captain and fast bowler Wasim Akram and will prepare special pitches for the national team ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy in England in June.

The PCB said on Wednesday that former left-arm quick Akram would be supervising a 10-day specialised camp for fast bowlers in Karachi.

"Besides the national team pace bowlers some upcoming young and raw pace bowlers will also attend the camp which will be conducted by Wasim for the board," a PCB official said.

Pakistan's chief selector Iqbal Qasim recently said recently that the team could face a fast bowling crisis as pace talent was drying up in the country.

His comments came after a disappointing show from the Pakistani pacers in this year's Test series against South Africa in which they suffered a whitewash.

Pakistan's most experienced pace bowler Umar Gul managed just five wickets in two Tests at an average of 45 as the team handed debuts to three pace bowlers including Mohammad Irfan, the lone success story of the tour, Rahat Ali and Ehsan Adil.

Akram is Pakistan's most successful fast bowler with 414 Test and 502 One-day International wickets.