Overall it is my third blog here on bitlanders. I would love to write blogs. Thanks for the bitlanders which has given me a platform to write and helped me to share my thoughts about my favorite’s personality of cricket world. He is the left arm fast bowler and left handed lower order batsman, who could swing and seam the bowl quite efficiently with a significant pace. He was generally known as bowling all-rounder. He is the former Pakistani cricketer, the master of reverse swing, one of the greatest in cricket history. His name is               

W A S I M   A K R A M

                                                                                                                                 

 

 

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Profile

Wasim Akram was born on June 3rd,1966 at Lahore.He studied from Government Islamia College  Lahore. He played cricket for his college. Fortunately his addition in the national  team was from the request  of key batsman of national team of that time, Javed Miandad.

When he was 29 years of age, he got married to Huma Mufti in 1995. He has two sons, Tamoor and Akbar. His wife Huma passed away at Apollo hospital Chennai in India due to organs failure on October 25th 2009.

After four years, he got married to Shaniera Thompson, an Australian on august 7th, 2013. On December 27th, 2014 he become the father of baby, born in Melbourne Australia.

International Cricket

 

Domestic Career

Akram started his career first class career in 1988 when he joined Lancashire cricket club. He bowled with the new ball in different events, like national league and ECB trophy. He played for Lancashire for almost 10 years.

 

 Image source www.google.com

 

 

Test career

Akram started his debut as test cricketer in 1985 against the new Zealanders, who knows that a cricketer who was unknown and was unable to make it in his college team. He went to Gaddafi Stadium Lahore for the trials. When he bowled, Javed Miandad wanted to include him in the national team. Akram got the opportunity without any experience, after that he proved quite worthy bowler for the Pakistan team by picking 10 wickets in his second test against New Zealand. This video shows all his 10 wickets against the New Zealand in 1985.

                                                                                                           

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                   Image source www.google.com

  

 

  

 

Video Source www.youtube.com

 

His test career is full of tremendous performances. I have highlighted the famous ones here to view for my visitors. He took 5 wickets against the Australians in Karachi test in 1994 by giving just 63 runs. Here are some highlights of this test.

  

Video Source www.youtube.com

 

A new era of seam and swing bowling was begun. He picked his first test hat-trick against the Sri Lankans at Gaddafi Stadium Lahore on March 6th, 1999. And the second test hat-trick was also against the Sri Lankans at Bangabandhu National Stadium Dhaka on March 14th, 1999 in the Asian Test Championship Final. These video shows the first and second test hat-trick respectively.

 

  

 Video Source www.youtube.com

 

 

 Video Source www.youtube.com

 

Akram appeared in 104 tests for Pakistan. He picked 414 wickets at an average of 23.62 with outstanding economy rate 2.59.  He grabbed 25, five wicket haul and 5, ten wicket haul in his test career. Despite of his ferocious swing and seam bowling, he also scored valuable 2898 runs averaging 22.64 with 7 fifties and 3 hundreds including the famous 257* not out against the Zimbabwe at Sheikhupura Stadium in 1997. He smashed 12 sixes and 22 fours in that inning and registered a record breaking 8th wicket partnership of 313 with Saqlain Mushtaq. His record has just broke by English cricketer Ben Stokes in Jan 2016 against the South Africa at Cape Town. He played his last test against Bangladesh at Dhaka on Jan 2002. Here is the highlight of Akram’s outstanding inning.

 

  

 Video Source www.youtube.com

 

ODI Career

Akram made his ODI debut against New Zealand in 1984.In 1985, Benson & Hedges World Championship, He picked five wickets in his 3rd ODI against the mighty Australians. Here is the video to show these wickets.

He appeared in 356 ODIs and picked 502 wickets at an average of 23.52 with an economy rate 3.89.  He grabbed 6, five wicket haul and picked 18 times four wickets in his ODI career.

Like test cricket he picked two hat-tricks in ODI as well. First was against the West Indies and the second against the Australians. Here are the highlights of both hat-tricks.

   

 

 

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  Video Source www.youtube.com

 

 

 Video Source www.youtube.com

 

He played major role in the batting department by making 3717 runs averaging 16.52 which was good for a lower order batsman and acknowledged as a good all-round cricketer. He also smashed 6 fifties in ODI. His highest score was 86 against the Australians at Melbourne. He played his last ODI against Zimbabwe at Bulawayo on Jan 2003. This video shows the highlights of this inning.

 

Twenty-20 Career

Akram played only 5 t-20 Internationals match. He picked 8 wickets at an average of 15.12  at  an  economy  rate  6.36. His best  bowling  figures in t-20 match is 2 wickets for 19 runs.

 

 

World Cups

Image source www.google.com

 

Akram performed in four world cups, 1992, 1996, 1999 and 2003. He picked the record 55 wickets in 38 matches of world cup. After that during the 2007 world cup Glenn Mcgrath broke the record and grabbed 71 wickets in 39 matches. During 1992 world cup, Akram held substantial figures helping Pakistan by winning the tournament. He made 33 runs off 18 balls in the final against England and helped Pakistan to reached a score 249. Akram also took 3 major wickets of Ian Botham. Chris Lewis and Allan Lamb. He produced the unplayable magic deliveries that earned him, man of the match award in the final which was made controversial later by the English cricketers and media but could not proved. In 1999 world cup, he led Pakistan as captain to the edge of victory but they defeated in the final by Australians. In 2003 world cup he had been the best bowler for Pakistan by picking 12 wickets in 6 matches. Nevertheless, Pakistan had not reached in super sixes. 

 

Video Source www.youtube.com

 

 

 

 Video Source www.youtube.com

 

 Video Source www.youtube.com

 

 

 Achievement & Awards

• In 104 tests, he won 17 man of the match records.

  He had 4 international hat-tricks, two in tests and two in ODIs.

• In 199 ODIs, he proved as a match winner by picking 22 man of the match awards.

• Akram took 18 four wicket hauls. He made 257* not out against the Zimbabwean in 1996 was the highest by a number 8 in tests, later that broke in cape town by ben stokes on Jan 2016.

• He holds the record of most test sixes in an inning which was 12.

• Akram named in all time test world XI, on occasion of 150th anniversary of Wisden Cricketers. 

• He held the most wickets record in List A Cricket, 881 wickets.

• He was the only bowler in international cricket, holds 400 plus wickets in both test and ODIs after Muttiah Murlitharan .

• Akram was the best pace bowler with immaculate control on both swing and seam on both sides of the wicket and bowled lusty reverse swing throughout his career.

• Ahead of most dominating bowlers like, Allan Donald, Imran Khan, Waqar Younis, Joel Garner, Glenn Mcgrath and Muttiah Murlitharan, he was the best bowler in ODI of all time.

• Akram was inducted as ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in September 2009.

• Wasim Akram was acknowledged as Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1993. For the most stylish sporting person he achieved lux style award in 2003.

 

Retirement

After the 2003 world cup when he had not picked for the Sharjah tour. He decide to retire from international cricket. later he worked as a coach for Kolkata Knight Riders in Indian premiere League. Now he is the ambassador of Pakistan Super League.He is also doing commentary in most of International matches