Karachi: Former Pakistan captain and fast bowling great, Wasim Akram on Sunday slammed the formation of an inquiry committee by the cricket board to probe into the team’s poor show in the Asia Cup in Bangladesh.

“I don’t understand the purpose of announcing a probe committee when the national team is due to leave for India for the World T20,” Akram told a news conference on Saturday.

Akram, who was Director of the Islamabad United franchise, which recently won the Pakistan Super League in Dubai, said that it was lamentable that instead of supporting the team the players were being put under pressure.

“I don’t agree with this thinking. This decision of the Pakistan Cricket Board to evaluate the team’s performance in the Asia Cup at this time,” he added.

“It does not make sense as the World T20 is just a few days away.”

Akram, who is now a full time media commentator and coach, said the board should not make the mistake of changing the captain before the World T20.

“Shahid Afridi has been playing for 20 years. We all know him well and his performances. He is the best man to lead the team even now. He just needs to be given full backing and support by everyone,” he added.

Akram said he was hurt and upset at the scathing criticism directed at the Pakistan team during the Asia Cup.

“The team has been struggling in T20 cricket for a while now but we need to show more understanding and respect for the players who are already under a lot of pressure,” he added.

To a question, Akram reiterated that he was always available to work for the betterment of Pakistan cricket.

“I am ready to serve Pakistan cricket but I need to be given a proper time table. I can’t be asked at the 11th hour to come in. I work according to a schedule. I am ready to work in any capacity but first someone needs to offer me a proper role,” he said.

Akram also said about his former fast bowling colleague and the present head coach of the team, Waqar Younis that he needed to give more time to watching domestic matches.

“Waqar should have been in Dubai and Sharjah for the PSL matches. He needs to watch the matches and players we have available to build a good combination,” he added.

Meanwhile, disappointed with the functioning of the PCB, Pakistan’s celebrated off-spinner, Saqlain Mushtaq has dropped plans to stay and work in the country’s cricket set-up.

Saqlain said on the PTV sports channel that he was disappointed at observing the way things functioned in the present cricket system run by the Pakistan Cricket Board.

The cricketer-turned-coach said he had come to Pakistan last year with a view to settle down in his hometown Lahore with his family and give something back to Pakistan cricket in a coaching capacity.

“But after working with Saeed Ajmal for three months for the Pakistan board, the things I observed and saw, I can tell you one can’t work properly and freely here and they are problems in the system,” Saqlain said.

“I am now preparing to go back to the United Kingdom with my family and resettle down there. I am very disappointed,” he added.

One of Pakistan’s top spinners, who ended up with 208 test and 288 one-day wickets and is also credited with inventing the doosra delivery, Saqlain worked with Saeed on behalf of the PCB when the off-spinner was banned from bowling in international cricket by the ICC.

Saqlain, who has worked as spin bowling coach with the New Zealand, West Indies and Bangladesh teams, said he wanted to give back his experience and skills to Pakistan cricket.

“I sincerely wanted to do something for Pakistan cricket which made me what I am today. Unfortunately things haven’t worked out that way for me,” he added.

Pakistan’s cricket system and the internal functioning of the PCB has for long been the subject of discussion and criticism with some former players including former captains, Rashid Latif and Muhammad Yousuf flatly refusing to work in the present set-up.

While Latif turned down the chief selector’s post, Yousuf has said he is ready to coach the batsmen but not in present set-up.

Former Test opener and captain Aamir Sohail and Pakistan’s cricket great Javed Miandad also parted ways with the PCB after working in different capacities.

Both claimed they were not allowed to implement their plans for the betterment of Pakistan cricket as too many hurdles were created for them.