KARACHI, Dec 16: Fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar said on Tuesday that a lucrative Pakistani Twenty20 league would offset the reluctance of foreign teams to tour the country for security reasons.

Shoaib, 33, urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to start its own professional league similar to the multi-million dollar Twenty20 Indian Premier League (IPL) launched this year.

“We need to find our own solution or else cricket will die in Pakistan,” the paceman told reporters “We should have our own Twenty20 professional league. The money is there and that is one way to get foreign players to play in our country.

“I know personally there are wealthy individuals and companies in Pakistan and abroad willing to put money into such a project because cricket has big commercial pull in Pakistan.”

Shoaib, who commended England on returning to India for their Test series following the last month’s Mumbai attacks, said Pakistani players have been frustrated by the lack of opportunities to play international cricket this year.

“We have played no Tests this year and teams always have issues with the security coming to Pakistan,” he stated. “The Indians and other teams need to show the same respect [shown by England] for our cricket and play in our country if our government is giving them security assurances.”

Shoaib is appearing in the Pentangular Cup one-day tournament organised due to the lack of game time and added that despite suffering disciplinary and fitness problems this year, he wanted to continue playing until the 2011 World Cup.

“I am working hard on my fitness and I am going to nurse myself through matches. If I can do that properly I see myself completing 400 wickets in one-dayers and playing until the next World Cup,” the player who has played 46 Tests and 138 One-day Internationals, said. “I am now much stronger. But I needed some matches to regain my rhythm.”

He further said the PCB officials were treating him well while the selectors were using him with planning to extend his career. “I would like to play selected matches,” he added.

Stressing that despite being a senior player he was never interested to lead the team, Shoaib said he was transferring his knowledge to the budding young pace bowlers, adding that Pentangular Cup was allowing him to pass on the few tips to them.

He noted that Pakistan was lacking quality fast bowlers, who could cross 100-mile barrier. However, he complimented promising youngsters like Mohammad Talha, Anwar Ali and Abdur Rauf.

“We need strong fast bowlers who could work hard and maintain top fitness. I am trying to teach them [fellow pace bowlers] a few things when I get time,” he said.

An appeal by Shoaib against an 18-month ban and seven million rupees ($86,515) fine imposed by the PCB this year is pending in the Lahore High Court.

He has been able to continue playing after the court suspended the ban until the appeal was decided.—Agencies