KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain and legendary pace bowler Wasim Akram has called on the national cricket authorities to repose faith in Shahid Afridi by appointing him captain of the national limited-overs squad on long-term basis.“I think Afridi should be made captain for a long term so that he gains more confidence because he is developing into a good captain,” Wasim, an iconic left-arm fast bowler, said.

Wasim, one of the prime architects of Pakistan’s World Cup win in 1992, also backed the Afridi’s demand for a batting coach for the team.

“I agree the team needs a batting coach. Every team now has a full-time specialist batting coach with them and I have always believed that even at this level, the best players sometimes need to be given guidance and tips on batting issues,” Wasim, who played 104 Tests and 356 ODIs in his glittering career, stated.—Agencies