Quotes from Wasim Akram

At 15, I was a tape-ball 'professional' and would take ten rupees per game to win matches for different teams.

From the bowler's point of view, if I look at a batsman, I don't see his shots, I see his defence. If a player has a strong defence, he is a very good player.

People think you get tired quickly when you are a diabetic. But I have taken about 190 wickets in One Day International matches after I was diagnosed for diabetes, and lots even in Test cricket, and never got tired.

Whenever you see Indian first class cricket on television, you see only a white wicket in a four-day game. And you have after five overs your spinners bowling from both ends on all four days. So how can you improve your cricket or your fast bowlers?

When I had a senior bowler guiding me as a young bowler, I had Imran bhai and I would ask him before every ball. It gives you that added confidence when a senior bowler tells you to do something.

Coaching is a very different skill. You need patience, you need a lot of organisation. I don't have any.

As a bowler our job is to create doubts in the minds of the batsmen.

I think it is time Pakistan has a cricket academy. In fact, they are thinking of having one; the sooner they have one the better it will be for Pakistan cricket.

I am not a fool. I keep on hearing and seeing the way people misbehave with their coaches and seniors.

I have toured Bangladesh plenty of times and the pitches were unbelievable.

I believe my actual job is that of a mentor. I don't just talk about bowling. I discuss batting, I discuss fielding, I discuss team selection, talking to every boy individually on and off the field, giving them confidence and if they are struggling with their cricket, talking to them about their cricket.

I think what pace bowlers need to do in T20 cricket is not just run up and bowl fast. It's not about brute pace in T20, it's about the variation.