``I have told them to enjoy cricket and leave the rest on me. I will handle all the pressure and criticism if it is directed at the national team,'' Akram said from Lahore.
Akram, who replaces Saeed Anwar, said he had a brief meeting with the players ``but I can figure out that they are lost somewhere. I have to have a detailed meeting with them.
``What I plan to inject in their minds is that winning and losing is part of the game. One day we will win and the other day we will lose. This is sport and no team can have a monopoly or dominance over it,'' said Akram.
Akram admitted that it was a difficult time as the morale of the team was down and a tough forthcoming challenge is ahead. ``But we are capable of bouncing back and I have all the confidence in my players. With an injury-hit team, we won in Australia and similar was the situation when Pakistan qualified for the finals of the Independence Cup in India.''
Akram was optimistic of his team's chances in the quadrangular cup. ``Each player knows that it is the golden jubilee celebration of our independence. I am sure after this defeat, they will try to compensate for the Faisalabad lapses.''
Wasim Akram had played an integral role in transforming the Pakistan team into a winning combination last year when he led the side to victory in England, Sahara Cup, over Zimbabwe, in Sharjah and then in Australia.
``Obviously, the change of captaincy does affect the team combination but I am sure that the boys will quickly adjust to the previous goals which only they set themselves,'' he said.
Asked if he would be able to lead the team from the front after returning to the sport after nearly nine months of absence, Akram said: ``I will try to give my cent percent and would like my boys to give the same. Naturally, I want to win every game but sometimes you even lose by playing good because the opposition played even better. What we have to do in the coming assignments is to give our best.''
Akram was unsure of his tenure as captain. ``It has not been defined by the authorities. All they told me was that I am the captain. But for how long, that I don't know,'' he said, adding: ``Captaincy is not the end of the world and I am not bothered if I play under Saeed or anyone else. I just want to enjoy.''
On the selection of two wicketkeepers, Akram said Moin Khan was too good a player to be left out. ``I strongly feel that he can walk into the team even as a batsman. But we haven't decided anything so far. I have to talk to Haroon Rasheed (team coach) before we decide what to do.''
Akram stated that he had a discussion with Saeed Anwar. ``I tried to calm him down as he was more upset because the team lost under his captaincy. But the bottom line is that it is his strokes and runs that are more important to us. He is a great pal and understood me, promising to extend his full support to me.
``It is just a matter of one big innings and he will be in runs again.'' Outgoing captain Saeed Anwar was more modest when approached for his comments. ``Wasim Akram was the original captain. Since he was out, me or Ramiz Raja were handling the team. Now since he is back, he is incharge of the side.
``There are absolutely no hard feelings. He is an experienced captain and the best choice for a captain's role because he leads from the front and with example.''