Akram, Miandad to conduct online sessions for Pakistan cricketers

Mohammad Yousuf, Moin Khan, Mushtaq Ahmed, Rashid Latif, Shoaib Akhtar and Younis Khan will also share their insights about the game as well as their strategies in the lead up to and during a series or an event.

The Pakistan Cricket Board on Sunday said that former greats like Javed Miandad and Wasim Akram will be holding online sessions with current and emerging cricketers in Pakistan to help them remain focused in the wake of the coronavirus lockdown.

These sessions have been arranged by the Pakistan national men's cricket team management in collaboration with the International Cricket Operations Department as they are looking at innovative ideas to ensure its elite players and future prospects remain connected with the game.

Apart from Javed and Wasim, Mohammad Yousuf, Moin Khan, Mushtaq Ahmed, Rashid Latif, Shoaib Akhtar and Younis Khan will also share their insights about the game as well as their strategies in the lead up to and during a series or an event.

The sessions will be run category-wise with Javed, Yousuf and Younis speaking with around 21 batsmen in three different sessions.

Akram and Shoaib Akhtar will also give lectures to 13 fast bowlers in the country.

Six spinners will attend the session and it will be headed by Mushtaq, while Moin Khan and Rashid Latif will hold sessions for five wicketkeepers.

Javed, an ICC Cricket Hall of Famer who scored 16,213 runs in 357 international matches from 1975 to 1996, will set the ball rolling when he delivers his lecture on Monday afternoon.

"I have always loved sharing my thoughts on the way I have seen and played my cricket. I have not always played textbook cricket, but I have researched the game and modified it according to my requirements, and that has been my success," Miandad said in an official statement.

"I look forward to engaging with these players and hope I will be able to give them another perspective which can enhance their individual and team performance. These are our players and this is our team, and anything I can do to uplift their objectives, I will always be available," he added.

Akram, another ICC Cricket Hall of Famer with 916 wickets in 460 international matches, will connect with the fast bowlers on Tuesday, followed by the sessions of Rashid and Mushtaq with the wicketkeepers and spinners on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.

"I am grateful to these distinguished cricketers who have agreed to share their experiences with our young and emerging stars. These stalwarts have many inspirational and motivational stories to share with the young group and I want the current players to absorb what they hear and take learnings from these world-class performers. The interactive sessions will be split based on areas of specialisation," Pakistan head coach Misbah-ul-Haq said.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, all sporting action across the world has come to a halt. Recently, Pakistan's tour to the Netherlands was postponed due to COVID-19.