A day after former India’s star cricketer Yuvraj Singh’s father Yograj Singh offered to coach Pakistan and rebuild the struggling team within a year following the Men in Green’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025 debacle, Pakistan’s former skipper and ace pacer Wasim Akram opened up on why he doesn’t want to coach the national side.
Akram, during a discussion on DP World ‘Dressing Room’, was asked why he, Shoaib Akhtar and others don’t jump into the coaching arena to help the players. To this, Akram didn’t mince his words and cited Waqar Younis’ example of how the Pakistan Cricket Board mistreated the latter.
“People still on and off either criticize me or have a go at me that all he does is talk and nothing else. When I see Pakistan coaches – I see Waqar here, who has been sacked quite a few times after becoming a coach – and their condition. Aap log badtameezi karte hain (You guys disrespect them), I cannot tolerate it,” Hindustan Times quoted Akram as saying during the show on Ten Sports.
Responding sharply to the criticism on why Pakistan legends prefer to sit in shows rather than help in coaching camps, Akram said he is ready to help the team free of cost but not ready to accept the negative chatter that comes along.
“I want to help Pakistan cricket. Why do you want to pay me. I am available free of cost. If you organise a camp and want me to be there, I will. If you want me to spend time with cricketers ahead of a big tournament, I will do that. But I am 58 years old and at this age, I am not going to take such insults which you guys do. I cannot lead a stressful life at this age,” he said.
What Yograj Singh had said?
With Pakistan ousted from the semifinal race after Mohammad Rizwan’s men lost their matches in Group A against New Zealand and India, Yograj Singh offered to coach Pakistan and asked why Pakistan legends prefer to sit in shows rather than help in coaching camps.
His comments arrived after former cricketers Wasim Akram, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Shoaib Akhtar, and Waqar Younis lambasted the Pakistan team for their shoddy show in the tournament.
“Wasim Akram should be ashamed for saying such things. Shoaib Akhtar, another big player, is saying bad things. Wasim is earning money doing commentary. Go back to your country, organise a camp for these players. I want to see which one of you can help Pakistan win the World Cup, and if not, then resign,” Yograj Singh told News18.
He added, “Mein jata hoon, ek saal mein team khadi kar kay dikhaunga tum yaad rakhoge (I can coach them. I will build this team in one year and you’ll will remember it).”
“It’s all about passion. I am spending 12 hours here (at his own academy). It’s very easy to make big claims. You will have to give your blood and sweat for your own country to make a difference,” he added.
