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Wasim Akram steps down as captain

Wasim Akram has stepped down as captain of Pakistan's cricket team in a major shake-up ahead of the home series against Sri Lanka, the Pakistan Cricket Board said Thursday.

Opener Saeed Anwer will instead lead Pakistan.

In the team announced by the PCB advisory council for the first one-day international to be played in Karachi on February 13, seven players who toured Australia have been dropped.

Sources said Akram decided himself to step down to concentrate on his chase for a record number of test wickets - 434 - set by Indian pacer Kapil Dev.

Middle-order batsmen Inzamam-ul-Haq, Ejaz Ahmed, Mohammad Wasim, Wajahatullah Wasti, Shahid Afridi, all-rounder Azhar Mahmood and pacer Waqar Younis have all been dropped.

Former captain Aamir Sohail stages a comeback, while Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar has been suspended by the PCB for the Karachi one-dayer on disciplinary charges.

Younis Khan, Imran Abbas, Faisal Iqbal, Yasir Arafat and Zahid Saeed are all uncapped.

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