Wasim - will play on for Pakistan (Getty Images).

Pakistan veteran Wasim Akram has banished thoughts of retirement and vowed to extend his career in international cricket.

Pakistan had a disappointing World Cup, failing to reach the Super Six stage of the competition after defeats to India, England and Australia.

And rather than resigning to allow an influx of young players, Wasim, a former captain of the national side, now insists he feels a responsibility to guide the team through a difficult time.

He said: "Cricket is not finished in me and I have no intention of quitting the international scene, particularly when the team is in a bad shape after being dumped out from the World Cup.

"I believe that the team needs senior players who can lift its morale.

"That's why I have decided to change my mind in the best national interest."

Wasim took his 500th one-day wicket at the World Cup, but he believes that continuous changes in the batting order led to a fatal instability.

He added: "If our batting had clicked, the results could have been different."

He declined to respond when asked whether he felt results would have been different had he been the skipper and was philosophical about the side's failure.

He added: "The nation should not get emotional at the defeat and should realise that teams like the West Indies, England and South Africa are also out of the World Cup.

"We worked very hard for the World Cup but even then we lost."