By Scott Heinrich

We want to help the people and allow the poor to play cricket Rashid Latif

Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif is to play a major role in the inception of three academies in England designed to help young, working-class Asian cricketers.

Latif has managed his own academy in Karachi since 2000, and Asian cricket leaders in the UK have asked him to help set up similar schools of excellence in London, Birmingham and Luton.

"I visited the UK last week to meet with some Asian cricket leaders who knew about the good we are doing with our academy," the former Test wicket-keeper, 35, told BBC Sport.

"We toured England a couple of seasons back and the discipline of the players impressed some people, and back then they wanted me to help out with a similar set-up in England.

"I couldn't then because I was playing for Pakistan. Now I can concentrate full-time on my own academy and do some work in England when I am there in the summer playing league cricket in Ilford and for Lashings."

While the academies would be aimed at young Asians, Latif said they would be open to anybody who could not afford to fund their own training at other, fee-based establishments.

There will be no fees for participants. Instead, corporate sponsorship and government assistance will be relied upon to get the them off the ground.

Latif played 37 Tests for Pakistan, taking 119 catches

"Some cricketers in England have wanted to come over to Karachi and spend the off-season with us because of the difference in pitches and conditions, but we don't yet have the facilities or accommodation for them as well.

"But they will now be looked after in England. If they have no money then it is possible for them to join us. We want to help the people and allow the poor to play cricket.

"We are working with famous companies in the UK and the sports minister to obtain the best facilities, like outdoor and indoor venues.

"We hope to launch the academies mid-to-late summer but it could take some time."

Latif has seldom strayed from the headlines since he was dropped in September last year after stepping down from the captaincy.

A staunch anti-corruption campaigner, Latif claimed a one-day match between India and Pakistan recently had been rigged and caused a furore by submitting a letter to the International Cricket Council which said fixing was still rife.

He is also a vehement critic of the Pakistan Cricket Board and its selection panel, which he publicly chastised for disposing of him just six months after cajoling him out of retirement to take the captaincy.

Latif has promised to pull no punches in a book which he hopes will be published by September.

"We are still working on the book. It will be a bit different to the normal autobiographies that you read," Latif reckoned.

"Everything in the book regarding match-fixing and my career is against the system in Pakistan."