Akram clashed on the eve of the Test with Board's Secretary, Waqar Ahmad, who had brought a message of the chief selector saying Shoaib Akhtar has to be played. Requesting anonymity, the sources said Akram strongly opposed the selectors' decision to play Shoaib Akhtar in the Rawalpindi Test. However, the skipper had to bow down after he was reminded that he was just a co-opted member of the selection committee. Akram, according to the sources, was of the view that the team should have six batsmen instead of five. The Pakistan skipper wanted to play Ali Naqvi, who got injured on the second day, as the sixth batsman. In the second Test, it will be recalled, only Aamir Sohail (160) and Inzamamul Haq (177) were among the runs, sharing a record 323-run third wicket partnership. In this background, Akram's stand was not only logical but was vindicated during the Test.

Reports said that during the discussion, Akram had even offered to quit as captain if he did not have the say to include even one player of his choice. ``If you want a dummy captain, find someone else,'' the sources quoted Akram as telling Waqar Ahmad.

In recent times, the selectors have been completely dominating the selection procedures. For the first Test at Peshawar, the selectors not only picked 13 players but also finalised the playing eleven in which Arshad Khan was preferred over Saqlain Mushtaq.

Sources said if the captain does not have a say in team selection, why is he held responsible if the team loses and the selectors escape criticism by saying that they had picked the best side.