Wasim Akram

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wasim Akram Pakistan (Pak)

Batting style	Left-handed batsman (LHB)
Bowling type	Left-arm fast (LF)
	Tests	ODIs
Matches	104	356
Runs scored	2898	3717
Batting average	22.64	16.52
100s/50s	3/7	0/6
Top score	257*	86
Overs bowled	3771.1	3031
Wickets	414	502
Bowling average	23.62	23.52
5 wickets in innings	25	6
10 wickets in match	5	N/A
Best bowling	7/119	5/15
Catches/stumpings	44/0	88/0
As of 1 January 2005 Source: Cricinfo.com

Wasim Akram (Urdu: وسیم اکرم) (born June 3, 1966 in Lahore) is a former left arm fast bowler for the Pakistani cricket team and is widely regarded as one of the finest bowlers ever produced. He holds world records for the number of wickets taken both in One-day Internationals (502) and in List A cricket (881). ^[1] ^[2]

1 An emerging career
2 Controversies
3 One Day success
4 World Cup performance
5 County cricket
6 Retirement
7 International record
8 Notes
9 References
10 See also

[edit] An emerging career

Wasim Akram is ranked by Wisden as the number one fast bowler of all times in one day internationals, and in the top ten for Tests. He possessed genuine pace, accurate control of line and length and seam position and could swing the ball both in and out.

Akram 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. He was spotted by the Pakistani cricket captain Imran Khan, 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 who became his mentor.

Akram'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. A serious groin injury, however, impeded his career in 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, Akram could bowl equally well from both sides of the wicket. He focussed his attack on the stumps, rather than attempting to find the edge of the bat. His ability to bowl sharp bouncers and a swinging yorkers made him particularly lethal. Resultantly, "lbw b Wasim Akram" is the 2nd most common form of dismissal not involving a fielder (b Muralitharan being first.) In partnership with Waqar Younis, he scared international batsmen in the 1990s. Together Wasim and Waqar, known as "the two W's" of the Pakistani team, were considered the most successful bowling combination ever.

He also had skill with the bat. He liked to slog,and especially was very effective against spinners. He did silence his critics in October 1996 when he scored 257 not out of a total of 553 against Zimbabwe at Sheikhupura. ^{[citation needed]} Imran always said Wasim Akram would be among the greatest all-rounders in cricket and Akram ended up a great bowling all-rounder like Imran.

He is one of only two cricketers to have claimed 400 wickets in both Test Matches and ODIs — Muttiah Muralitharan is the other — and he holds the record for taking the most ODI wickets.^[3]

He also bowled what some people regard as possibly the "best over ever bowled in Cricket" in the World Cup final of 1992 against England, in which he clean-bowled Allan Lamb and Chris Lewis in successive deliveries.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Controversies

In 1992, after he had been successful against English batsmen, accusations of ball tampering began to appear in the English press, though no video evidence was ever found. It may have been due to reverse swing he was getting, which was until then, a relatively unknown phenomenon in England.

A far bigger controversy was created when he was alleged to be involved in match fixing. An enquiry commission was set up by Pakistan Cricket Board headed by a Pakistan high court judge Malik Mohammed Qayyum. The judge wrote in his report that "This commission feels that all is not well here and that Wasim Akram is not above board. He has not co-operated with this Commission. It is only by giving Wasim Akram the benefit of the doubt after Ata-ur-Rehman(A fellow teammate) changed his testimony in suspicious circumstances that he has not been found guilty of match-fixing. He cannot be said to be above suspicion."

[edit] One Day success

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.

He was Pakistan's top bowler in the 2003 World Cup taking 19 wickets in 7 matches. After the 2003 World Cup when Pakistan failed to reach the top 8 group, eight players were sacked by the Pakistan Cricket Board including Akram himself, Waqar Younis, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Saqlain Mushtaq, Azhar Mahmood and Saeed Anwar.

Since then, Wasim has taken up commentary and can currently be seen as a sportscaster for the ESPN STAR Network, and is also running shows on the local television i.e. PTV.

[edit] World Cup performance

He was captain of Pakistan cricket team, who was runner up in 1999 Cricket World Cup
He was man of the match of final of 1992 Cricket World Cup and Pakistan won the Cricket World Cup
He has taken the highest number of wickets in Cricket World Cup matches.

[edit] County cricket

Wasim signed for Lancashire in 1988 and went on to become one of their most successful overseas players. From 1988 to 1998, he spearheaded their attack in their Nat West Trophy, Benson & Hedges Cup and Sunday League winning sides. He was so good that local fans used to sing a song called "Wasim for England" at Lancashire's matches..

[edit] Retirement

Akram retired in 2003, after a brief spell with Hampshire County Cricket Club in England. He is married to Huma Mufti, daughter of Mr. Humayaun Mufti. Huma and Wasim have 2 sons from their marriage of 10 years.

[edit] International record

In his Test career, Akram took 414 wickets (a Pakistani record, and 8th all time), at an excellent bowling average of 23.62, and scored 2,898 runs, at a batting average of 22.64. In One-day Internationals, Wasim was again a force to be reckoned with, taking a world record 502 wickets in 356 appearances, scoring 3,717 runs along the way. Wasim Akram also holds the world record for most wickets in cricket world cups(a total of 55 in 38 matches Source : Cricinfo)

Uniquely, Akram took four hat-tricks in international cricket, two each in Tests and ODIs. He is one of only three bowlers to have taken two hat-tricks in Tests (the others being Hugh Trumble and Jimmy Matthews). Akram's Test hat-tricks are unique, since they were taken in consecutive Test matches in the same series, against Sri Lanka in 1999. He is also one of only two bowlers to have taken two hat-tricks in ODIs (the other being Chaminda Vaas of Sri Lanka). He is one of only two bowlers to have taken a Test hat-trick and an ODI hat-trick (the other being fellow Pakistani Mohammed Sami). Finally, playing against West Indies at Lahore in 1990-91, he became one of only three players to have taken four wickets in five balls (the other two are Maurice Allom and Chris Old, both of England). In Akram's case, the feat was not part of a hat-trick, the third ball of the series being a dot ball .

Akram has also gotten the highest score by a Number 8 in Test cricket of 257* against Zimbabwe at Sheikhupura. He got the world record of most sixes in an innings, 12. It remains unbeaten. It took him only 363 balls to get there. Akram was a good batsman but didn't get an ODI century, mainly due to the fact that he came in at the death. He enjoyed batting at Number six and has good records against Sri Lanka, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand.

[edit] Notes

^ 100 or More Wickets in ODI Cricket, CricketArchive. Retrieved 13 September 2006
^ 500 or More Wickets in ListA Matches Cricket, CricketArchive. Retrieved 13 September 2006
^ http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/STATS/ODIS/BOWLING/ODI_BOWL_MOST_WKTS.html

[edit] References

WASIM AKRAM International Who's Who. accessed September 3, 2006.
http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/pakistan/content/story/131403.html

[edit] See also

Cricket Portal

Bowlers who have taken 400 Test wickets
Shane Warne (AUS) \| Muttiah Muralitharan (SL) \| \| Glenn McGrath (AUS) \| Anil Kumble (IND) \| Courtney Walsh (WI) Kapil Dev (IND) \| Richard Hadlee (NZ) \| Wasim Akram (PAK) \| Curtly Ambrose (WI)

Bowlers who have taken 5 wickets in a Test innings 25 times or more
Muttiah Muralitharan (SL) \| Richard Hadlee (NZ) \| Anil Kumble (IND) Shane Warne (AUS) \| Ian Botham (ENG) \| Wasim Akram (PAK) \| Glenn McGrath (AUS)

Bowlers who have taken 400 ODI wickets
Wasim Akram (PAK) \| Muttiah Muralitharan (SL) \| Waqar Younis (PAK)

Cricketers who have achieved the 'All-rounder's Double' (2000 runs/200 wickets) in Test matches

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../w/a/s/Wasim_Akram_38ed.html"