Reacting to the recent ball-tampering controversy that has shaken Pakistan cricket, Akram said, ?We taught the Western countries how to reverse swing the ball. I taught the art to Andrew Flintoff during my stint with Lancashire, while Waqar (Younis) did the same to Simon Jones.
I am really surprised at the allegations brought against our bowlers. It is common knowledge that in order to reverse swing the ball, you need to rough up the edges near the stitches on one side. To do that we used to instruct the fielders to throw to the wicket-keeper on the bounce.
That?s an art and if they think that?s ball tampering, so be it.
? The left-arm pacer also hit out at the Pakistan cricket administration over its handling of the captaincy issue. ?
The incident has set a bad precedence. The cricketers? moral has been affected.
But, then it is in our culture. Younis Khan is no five-year-old to have done what he did. The problem in our country is that the vice-captain cannot wait to see the skipper get injured or be out of the side.
I was lucky to have Moin (Khan) who waited for his turn patiently before getting the captaincy. Something like this never happens in India,? he said, adding, ?
Moreover, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman and president are elected on an ad-hoc basis that leaves them with little power. In India, the selectors are chosen democratically and that?s why they have the power.
? Conversation inevitably turned to Sourav Ganguly and Akram said, ?We in the sub-continent love throwing out our heroes.
It?s really sad to see the way he has been ill-treated. I remember in 2004, Cricket Australia (CA) announced it would be Steve Waugh?
s last season. He got a standing ovation wherever he went. But then, had I been in Sourav?
s place, I would have taken the hint and quit.?
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