Wasim Akram

ROLE
Left Arm Fast, Left Hand Bat
BORN
Friday, 3rd June 1966. Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
TEST DEBUT
Friday, 25th January 1985 2nd Test v. New Zealand at Eden Park, Auckland - Aged 18
TEST CAREER
Matches: 104
Runs: 2898 Ave: 22.64
Wkts: 414 Ave: 23.62
Catches: 38
Last Test: 2002 1st Test v. Bangladesh at Dhaka

Wasim Akram is widely recognized as the best left arm fast bowler that the cricketing world has ever seen. An extravagantly talented cricketer.
At his best, Wasim Akram was the finest fast bowler of his generation.There were few skills of the fast bowlers armory which he did not have at his disposal: in addition to his genuine pace, pin point control of line and length and seam position he had complete control over both outswing and inswing.

Wasim made his Test debut against New Zealand in early 1985 and in his second Test itself made his presence felt with a ten wicket haul. Like a few other Pakistani cricketers of his time, he took a plunge straight from club cricket to international cricket. A few weeks prior to his selection into the Pakistani team, he was an unknown club cricketer who had failed to make it to his college team. His brilliance was spotted by the Pakistani cricket captain: Javed Miandad, who came across him while paying a visit to his club. Later that season he paired with Imran Khan at the World Championship of Cricket in Australia and from that point Imran Khan mentored him into becoming one of the finest fast bowlers the world has ever seen.

Wasim's rise in international cricket was rapid during the initial years. When Pakistan toured West Indies in 1988, he looked to be the quickest bowler between the two sides. However, a serious groin injury impeded his career in the late 1980's. Following two surgeries he re-emerged in 1990 as a bowler who focussed more on swing and control than speed.

With a very deceptive ball-concealing action, Wasim could bowl equally well from both sides of the wicket. He focussed his attack on the stumps, as compared to trying to find the edge of the bat. As a result, "lbw b Wasim Akram" is the 2nd most common form of dismissal not involving a fielder (b Muralitharan being first.) He was gifted with a very effective bouncer and an equally impressive yorker. In partnership with Waqar Younis, he terrorised international batsmen in the 1990s.Together they were known as "the two W's" of Pakistan Cricket.

Wasim was extremely feared with his shortish run-up and quick round arm delivery. He could swing the ball majestically.

Known for his cool, smooth attiude but furious speed, many regard him to be the greatest bowler the subcontinent has ever produced.

He was the natural successor to Imran Khan as Pakistan's leader and captain, but a series of match-fixing controversies of the 1990s harmed him, blunting his edge and dimming his lustre. Never a true all rounder (he averaged only 23.62 with the bat), he looked suspect against pace bowling, but very effective against the spinners. He did silence his critics in October 1996 when he plundered a monumental 257 out of a total of 553 against Zimbabwe at Sheikhupura.

He is the only cricketer in the cricket history to claim 400 wickets in both Test Matches and ODI's. In a recent poll, most batsmen said they feared facing Wasim more than any other bowler.

Controversies
In 1992 frustrated with the great performance against the English batsmen, the English press started accusing him and Waqar of ball tampering.

One Day Success
He was the first bowler in cricketing history to take more than 500 wickets in one-day internationals. A fast, furious bowler at the start of a game, he grew most devastating towards the end, when he could get the old ball to reverse swing. His swinging yorkers or toecrushers were legendary and fetched him a remarkable number of wickets.

Wasim was instrumental in Pakistan's famous World Cup victory in 1992 in Australia. He also captained Pakistan with success. The high points of his captaincy were the 1996-97 victory in the World Series in Australia, two Test match wins in India in 1998-99 and in 1999, when Pakistan reached the World Cup final for the second time. The low point being the World Cup 1996 in Pakistan and India,when he had to pull out of the crucial quarter final match against India, due to a rib muscle injury.

International Record

In his Test career, Akram took 414 wickets (a Pakistani record, and 7th all time), at an excellent average of 23.62, and scored 2898 runs, at an average of 22.64. In one-day internationals Wasim was again a force to be reckoned with, taking a record 502 wickets in 356 appearances, scoring 3717 runs along the way.

Akram is one of only three bowlers in history to achieve 2 hat-tricks in Test matches. This feat is also unique as it occurred in successive Test matches (against Sri Lanka in 1999)! (The others are Hugh Trumble and Jimmy Matthews.) He also had 2 hat-tricks during his one-day international career.