With the advent of the 1970's fast bowling was raised to  a more competitive level  than ever before in Cricket's history with bowlers like Dennis Lillee ,Jeff Thomson,Michael Holding,Andy Roberts,Imran Khan Etc.Agression was the order of the day.Such bowlers were not restrained in anyway from unleashing a barrage of bouncers as though they  were they fighting a war and Later in the late 1970's emerged the greatest pace attack ever which was extended to the early 1980's comprising Roberts ,Marshall,Holding, Garner Etc.What made such pace bowlers so lethal was not their sheer speed but their control and accuracy combined with their versatality .In the history of the game perhaps no bowler fitted all those ingredients into one as Wasim Akram.He had all the attributes required of a great fast bowler.He was also a talented batsmen and had a wide range of strokes,but hardly did full justice to his batting ability.On a green top with Waqar Younus his partnership was more lethal than Lillee and Thomson.! 

           Wasim was born on 3rd June 1966.The juvenile was spotted from a training camp of talented teenagers.He made his first class debut in 1984 in the opening match of New Zealand's tour of Pakistan.He gave a display of his sparkling talent,with figures of 7-50 and 2-54.John Wright was so impressed that he said,"Wasim ran off 15 paces and still hit the ball very hard getting the ball through so quicly almost effortlessly." He hardly made an impact in his debut Iternational match-a one dayer versus New Zealand reduced to 20 overs a side.   ,bowling 4 overs for 31 runs.

      In New Zealand the folowing Summer Wasim made an illustrious start although he hardly made an impact on his test debut ,in the 2nd test at Auckland.However at Dunedin the youngster bowled as if the spirits posessed him ,taking 10 wickets for 136 runs,(5-65 and 5-72).He almost pulled of a win for Pakistan as chasing   about 275 New Zealand were reeling at 222 for 8 wickets  ,with one batsmen retired hurt.However a ninth wicket partnership steered the Kiwis home and robbed Pakistan of victory.Wasim moved the ball like a champion showing his great prowess in a depleted attack,without Imran Khan.

In the World Championship of Cricket tournament  the next month Wasim cleaned through the Aussie middle order taking 5-21 at M.C.G..claiming prize victims like Keppler Wessell 's,Dean Jones,Allan Border and Kim Hughes.Pakistan won the match and went on to reach the final which was significant.

          Againt the West Indies in 1986 Wasim redeemed his reputation .In the first test at Faisalbad he took 6-91 runs in the 1st innings where Wst Indies were restrained to 248-a 59 run lead in the 1st innings.and i the 2nd Innings made a heroic 69  enabling Pakistan to give  the calypsos a 242 run target .Pakistan bowled out their opponents for 53 runs,giving West Indies their first test defeat for almost 5 years!Now the cricketing world understood Wasim's talent not only as a bolwer but as a genuine all -rounder.

In India  in 1986-87 considering the docile nature of the wickets Akram performed well taking a fine 4 wicket haul in the 4th test and two crucial wickets in the final innings of the crucial final test at Bangalore which Pak won by 16 runs -those of Shrikanth and Mohinder Amarnath with superb swinging yorkers-his master weapon.That played an instrumental historicrole in Pak's first win over India in India

In England ,that year Wasim displayed his ability to move the ball and although he was not statistically prolific ,he troubled a strong English batting line up with his prodigious swing and helped Pak win their first ever series in England.The combination of Wasim,Abdul Qadir and Imran was as lethal as Lillee and Thomson ,or the West India pace attack.

In the Reliance World Cup  played in late 1987 Wasim bowled with graat accuracy throughout,but was rather expensive in the semi-final against Australia,perhaps costing Pakistan the match and the World Cup.

Off to the Unofficial World Champioship of Cricket -Pakistan versus West Idies in West Indies.No team had won there since 1973 and Imran and his team had the best chance.After winning the 1st test by 9 wicket s,and coming so close to victory in the 2nd ,Pakistan lost the deciding test by 2 wickets enabling West Indies to square the series.The calypsos were 180-7 chasing 266 runs to win,with Viv Richards just bowled by Wasim Akram before some dubious  umpiring decisions in the 2nd Innings perhaps prevented Pakistan from winning after In that game Wasim bowled quicker than Malcolm Marshall.His changes of pace and length were a relevation  and the West Indian batsmen were baffled with this .

           In 1989 Wasim was atlast recognised as the best left arm bowler after Alan Davidson.He had 19 scalps in Australia,including 11 in the first test.Australian fans witnessed the greatest bowling by any left arm fast bowler in Australia as Akram displayed his mastery with the old ball,swinging it everywhere..He also scored 123 runs in the 2nd test at Adelaide ,almost pulling of a win for Pakistan after they were in dire straights.Some of his strokes reminded one of Sir Garfield Sobers.To the cricketing World he was now recognised as an allrounder in the Ian Botham or Imran Khan mould.

Wasom mantaided his reputation taking 31 wickest i 4 tests at home ,including a great spell versus West Indies,wher he captured 4 wickets in 5 balls.In the World Cup in 1992 Wasim bowled like a champion being the leading bolwer capturing 18 wickets.In the final he have a fine all round performance scoring a quickfire 33 ,helping Pakistan register 249.He then bowled with great craft dismissing Botham for 0,and in his 2nd spell bowled 2 of the most devastating deliveries ever bowled in one day International Cricket.One was a leg-cutter to bowl Allan Lamb and the other was an inswinging yorker to bowl ChrisLewis .

 In 1992 Wasim had to lead the attack with Waqar and though Imran had retired the cricket world witnessed a pacebowling duo more lethal in seaming conditions than Lindwall-miller or Lillee-Thomson.They combined pace with reverse swing and won the series for Pakistan.Akram's batting was instrumental in Pakistan snatching a 2 wicket win in the 2nd test at Lords.(53 run partnership for the ninth wicket chasing about 150)In the final test at the Oval the duo ripped apart the English batting.They combined bouncers ,yorkers land eg-cutters and every possible delivery you would want to see.It is significant that historically  in their test career together the Wasim-Waqar pair took 472 wickets,alomst 10 per match.

However that series had another tale.There was a controversy over ball tampering.It had become a highly debatable topic whether this was cheating.Allan Lamb claimed that the Pakistanis worked o one side of the ball ,to moisten one side, with spit and sweat while keeping the other side dry.

 In 1993 Wasim and Waqar against New Zealand in New Zealand  snatched victory for their side from the jaws of defeat with a sensational spell of pace bowling. New Zealand were set a target of 127 runs and slumped to 94 all out.A little later that yaer the duo repeated their performance but this time in the shorter version of the game.In 2 internationals South Africa were defeated from unassailable positions.In one game nee 49 of the last 10 overs wit 8 wickets standing and in another game about 40 runs with 5 wickets left.The Wasim-Waqar duo bowled a continuous barrage of inswinging yorkers and slashed through the Springbok's batting like a tiger tearing his prey.

In 1993 Wasim was chosen as a test captain for the tour of West Indies-the unofficial world championship of Test Cricket.However Pakistan were squarely beaten 2-0 which was a dissapointment to Cricket lovers who wished a far more closely-contested series.Many supporters were awaiting the moment when Pakistan were crowned the unofficial test world Champions,but it was not to be.

In 1994 Wasim was to relinquish his captaincy and Salim Malik was the skipper.On the New Zealand tour in early 1994 Wasim took a record 25 wickets including 7-119 in the 2nd test.Pakistan won the series 2-1.He foxed the Kiwis with his brilliant variation of outswing and inswing coupled with his yorkers.

      In 1994 in Speptember the Aussies arived in Pakistan.THey alamost won the serise 3-0 but a last wicket partnership of 58 between Inzamam Ul Haq and Mushtaq Ahmed won them he first test chasing 314 after being 236-8 and 256-9.Wasim's 5 wicket haulhelped restrict Austraia in the 2nd Innings.

Again in 1995 Wasim got the captaincy.Pakistan were thrashed in the first two tests but won the last test redeemimg their reputation.In the 1996 World Cup Pakistan were out in the quarter final stage losing a dramatic game to India .It is significant that Akram was unable to play the quarter final game.

In 1996 Wasim led Pakistan to defeat England 2-0 in England.In the third test he reached the magic figure of 300 wickets.Back Home in Pakista he scored 257 not out agansit Zimbabwe,the highest ever made by a number 8 in test Cricket.In the next tset he captuted 10 wickets .

. However later that year in the 1996-97 serise Wasim magnificiently led his team to win the Carlton and United Triangular tournament in Australia.Pakistan beat West Indies in the final.They became the first team to ever beat the calypsos in the trianagular tournament final in Australia and the only overseas team after England and West Indies to win the tournament.Wasim's control and subtle chages of pace combined with his lethal yorkers were unplayable at times.

After that series unfortunately Wasim was affected by a shoulder injury  ,and needed surgery.Now Saed Anwar was awrded the captaincy  and now another chapter was written i Wasim's life and in Pakistan Cricket.Tis was the topic of match-fixing.In 1997 Pak made a whitewash of West Indies 3-0 in Pakistan with Akram playing a strong role.However Pakistan failed in the Singer cup  and Wasim was slandered.The selectors went to the extent of dropping him for the South Africa and Zimbabwe tours.However once the match-fixing charges were warded off Wasim joined the tour in South Africa.Pakistan drew a series 1-1 in South Africa which was creditable.

In 1998 Wasim played underRashid Latif,Aamir Sohail ,Saeed Anwar and Moin Khan but by 1999 once again he was recalled to captaincy.On the tour of India he led Pak to a 1-1 drawn series and victory in the Asian test Championship test match coming from behind.His leadership was instrumental on their 2 close wins when things almsot seemed lost.Versus Bangladesh in the final at Dhakha he became the third bowler to take a second hat-trick in test matches and the first to take hat-tricks in more than one country.Pakistan then went oto win a one day tournament in Sharjah.

Wasim was captain for the 1999 World Cup in England.He led the team to the final ,which was an outstanding performance in it's own right.In the league stage Pak beat Australia and came within a stone's throw of beating the favourites South Africa.With their unpredictable and varied attack and long batting line-up with all -rounders, Pakistan should have won the tournament.Match-fixing was suspected in Pak's defeat at the hands of Bangladesh and India.The team palyed so poorly in the final,that they were all charged with match-fixing and placed on trial.

In 1999-2000 Pakistan were outclassed 3-0 in Australia but came very close to winning the 2nd tset where a crucial umpiring decison of Justin Langer let them down .They were also thrashed in the one day finals.

In 2000 in West Indies playing under MoinKhan Akram almost took Pakistan to their first ever series win in West Indies.Te fisrts 2 tests were drawnI and in  the final test bowling at his brilliant best he produced figures of 6-61 and 5-59  bowling like a marathon runner.With 19 runs to win  for West Indies and 2 wickets remaining a crucial decision let down Pakistan. Jimmy Adams,the pivot of the West Indian batting was given not out after the replay showed he was out caught behind.Though the ninth wicket fell very shortly afterwardsit was taht of atailender and not Jimmy Adams.It was only because Jimmy Adams survived that West Indies could steer themselves through to the target .Adams shielded Walsh for most of the time.It was sad that Akram could not bowl his team to a famous victory.However that's Cricket!

Wasim bowed out of International Cricket after the 2003 World Cup where Pakistan were humiliated.It was total contrast to Imran Khan's career who not only led his team but won the World cup!

Wasim retired claiming 414 wickets in 104 test matches at an average of 23.62 capturing 5 wickets 25 times and 10 wickets 5 times.Wasim took 502 wickest in one day games and overall has captured 916 wickets.No bowler is close to that yet!Adding test matches and one day internationals I rate Wasim the greatest bowler of all .With Dennis Lilee and Macolm Marsall I rate Wasim Akram ,the most complete fast bowler I have ever seen.I rate Wasim Akram the best fast bowler of his era as Glen Mcgrath or Curtly Ambrose did not have to bowl as much on dead tracks  and they could not swing the ball as much as Wasim.Akram.Wasim also  had a greater repertoire of deliveries.Ambrose and Mcgrath had greater control and accuracy but i would still say Wasim was the more difficult to faceWe must remember that Wasim took half his test scalps on the docile wickets of the subcontinent.On the flattest wickets he could extract bounce and swing and trouble the greatest batsmen.No bowler in the history of the game has been more versatile .He was lethal with the old and new ball and no fast bowler ever swung an old ball so much.Ayaz Memon writes,"He could swing the ball in and away,and so late that the best batsmen would be lost.He could bowl seam up,or run his fingers across the stitches to bowloff and leg-cutters.He had an incedible variety,perhaps a range of a dozen different deliveries."No bolwer has been a better exponent of the inswinging yorker.Curtly Ambrose thinks Wasim is the greatest bowler he has ever seen. and states that even he could not swing a cricket ball like Wasim.Gavaskar,Gooch,Viv Richards or Tendulkar state he is the best they have faced.Though at his peak  Waqar Younus was the more devastating (indeed no bowler since the Second World War has been more penetrating than him at his peak) Wasim has always been the more complete bowler. Wasim had an incredible repertoire-inswing, outswing, reverse swing in both directions, off cutters, vicious bouncers, late cutters, swinging yorkers, perfectly disguised slower balls, over the wicket, round the wicket! Most players in their auto/biographies who played against both of them say they preferred to face Waqar because although he was devastating you basically knew what was coming--with Wasim though you never knew as he could bowl six different deliveries in one over! Amazing.

.He did not perform as well as a batsmen but for some time he was the leading all-rounder in the World.At his best he was a graet striker cwho could turn the complexion of a game.His final average of 23 runs hardly did his batting talents justice.The only blots on Wasim was his inability to keep the captaincy ,inability to lead his team to world champion status and responsibilty for Match-fixing . (could not mantain total discipline.)

Wasim Akram just became 40 on June 3rd .This is his 40 th year so let us wish him all the best as a commmentator,coach or anything he wishes to achieve even outside the periphery of Cricket!His memories will be cherished till the game of Cricket exists.

Test figures

O M R W Ave BBI 5 10 SR Econ
Bowling

3771.1 871 9779 414 23.62 7-119 25 5 54.6 2.59

One ady Stats.

O M R W Ave BBI 4w 5w SR Econ
Bowling 3031 238 11812 502 23.52 5-15 17 6 36.2 3.89
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