Daily Times

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is considering appointing former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar as the national team’s bowling consultant.

Following the appointment of Shahid Afridi to the PCB’s management committee, the cricket board is considering approaching the right-arm pacer for his expertise in the game.

According to reports, Akhtar may be assigned a key role for the national team in the coming days.

According to sources, the former ace pacer has already been contacted and has expressed interest in working to improve the players’ performance.

Najam Sethi, the chairman of the PCB management committee, will meet with Akhtar in Lahore soon. The former pacer is expected to be offered a position in PCB during the meeting.

According to the sources, Akhtar had also shown interest in playing important role in the policy-making of the board.

After his retirement from cricket, the bowler — also known as Rawalpindi Express — had several times raised his voice to make improvements in the Pakistani team.

The 47-year-old former right-arm pacer is a record-holder for bowling the fastest delivery — 161.3 kph — to be bowled in cricket’s history.

The PCB’s Management Committee had also appointed former Pakistan captain Afridi as the interim chair of the selection committee for the home series against New Zealand.

The decision was made under the chairmanship of Sethi after the government approved his appointment as the PCB’s chairman.

Other members of the panel are Abdul Razzaq and Rao Iftikhar Anjum, while Haroon Rashid (member Management Committee) will be the Convener.