Akram: Silly to drop players for ill discipline

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Former Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram has taken issue with the new selection panel's decision to drop key players due to minor disciplinary issues, saying it does the team no good to be so strict.

Batsmen Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad were not picked for the national training camp, with new chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq citing past disciplinary issues as the cause, though not specifying. He did say that poor form was a factor too.

But Akram feels this is taking player management too far, and that even he would not have been picked back in the day if off-field behaviour was so heavily monitored.

Akram said: "If we drop players on purely disciplinary grounds then let me tell you, many of our era would not have even played for Pakistan including myself.

"I think if a player has a problem it is the job of the team management and captain to deal with it and get him to perform."

The former paceman was also asked about new coach Mickey Arthur, a rare non-Pakistani appointment, and said that the South Africa coach would need time to turn the side's poor form in all formats around.

Akram added: "One should not expect him to bring about improvement immediately as our team is currently languishing at ninth position in the ODI rankings.

"Even he will require time to turn things around."

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