Mohammad Akram resigns as Pakistan NCA coach

Mohammad Akram, Pakistan's National Cricket Academy head coach, has resigned from the post due to family reasons, three months before his contract expires. The resignation is yet to be accepted, but Akram is committed to quitting a full-time job to be around his family who is based in England.

"I have resigned with no regret," Akram told ESPNcricinfo. "I have enjoyed every moment working with Pakistan cricket. I have done a lot to the best of my ability and I see the players now started to bloom. I worked so hard to get the system going and the result of my efforts is quite evident. I am leaving the set-up in safe hands."

Akram, 41, had joined the set-up as Pakistan bowling coach three years ago and since then had worked in various capacities including selector, head of illegal bowling committee, Pakistan A coach, and is the man responsible for imposing the fitness clause on Pakistan cricket. His other big achievement was reviving the youth and A team tours to other countries and to make a second-string team at every level.

According to Akram, he had been thinking about resigning over many months. His family is based in England and he was based in Lahore in National Cricket Academy. He said living away from his family and not seeing his kids growing up was a painful thing for him.

"I am a family man but with this job from 9 to 5 in Lahore, living away form family, it isn't working for me. Earlier, when I was a bowling coach, I still had a time to visit my family frequently, but since then I have shifted to an in-house job I was not able to make it. I came here to contribute for cricket but at the same time my family is much more important."

Akram is also presently under immense pressure over his part-time job as an analyst with the host broadcaster during the ongoing Pakistan-England Tests. He was given all the due permissions from relevant PCB authorities, including media director Amjad Hussain and the director NCA Aizad Hussain Syed, but in the media his job was questioned.

"I am not bothered at all about any undue criticism because I am here with the permission," he said. "Back home at NCA, I didn't have much to do as head coach as these are the idle months. I am not stepping down due to criticism but the main thing taken precedence in my resigning is just my family as I want to reconnect with my kids and my family back in England."