Name:

Wasim Akram

Nickname:

Waz

Date of Birth:

03 Jun 1966

Gender:

Men

Place of Birth:

Lahore

Career:

Test: 1985 - 2002
ODI: 1984 - 2003

Teams:

Pakistan (Country)
Lancashire (Regional)

Wasim Akrram: Most lethal left arm paceman

Wasim Akram: The complete fast bowler, compromised by match fixing

Wasim Akram was born on 3 June 1966 at Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.

Wasim Akram was one of five players newly inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2009. He was a master of swing and seam bowling and a very handy lower order batsman. He is one of only 15 players in the history of the game to have topped 2,000 runs and taken more than 200 Test wickets. He made the highest score by a number eight batsman in Test cricket with 257 not out against Zimbabwe, which contained a Test record 12 sixes.

At his best Wasim Akram plays like most of us would wish to. He has complete mastery over swing and seam, and sometimes moves the ball both ways in one delivery. All this comes at high speed from a quick, ball-concealing action, and is backed up by the threat of a dangerous bouncer or deceptive slower delivery. Akram is rated by many as the best left-arm fast bowler of all time, and his career record certainly bears that out - along with the high regard of his contemporaries.

He was an aggressive batsman, but this was one skill in which Akram underachieved.

He was the natural successor to Imran Khan as Pakistan's leader and captain, but the match-fixing controversies of the 1990s harmed him, blunting his edge and dimming his lustre. He was among the eight players dumped after Pakistan's miserable performance in the 2003 World Cup. He retired shortly after, following a brief spell with Hampshire.

He is the only left-arm fast bowler to take 400 Test wickets and became the first bowler to take 500 wickets in ODI cricket during the 2003 World Cup.

In 2001, Wasim Akram had an adverse finding against him for match fixing in the Justice Qayyum commission. Akram was fined and the final report stated: "The evidence against Wasim Akram has not come up to the requisite level, primarily because of Ata-ur-Rehman's perjuring himself. This Commission is willing to give him the benefit of doubt. However, there has been some evidence to cast doubt on his integrity.".

Justice Qayyum went onto rule that "it is further recommended that Wasim Akram be removed from captaincy of the national team. The captain of the national team should have a spot-less character and be above suspicion. Wasim Akram seems to be too sullied to hold that office."

Akram escaped a more serious punishment of a life ban due to Justice Qayyum having a soft spot for a legendary player at the tail end of his career.

The “serious mistake” Akram admits to here is of being slow to realise one of his oldest school friends, Zafar Iqbal (aka Jojo), was a gambler and bookie.

In 104 Test matches, he took 414 wickets at an average of 23.62, including 25 five-wicket hauls and 5 ten-wicket match hauls. His best bowling figures in an innings were 7/119.

Wasim Akram played 356 ODIs, claiming 502 wickets at an average of 23.52. He was the first bowler to reach 500 ODI wickets, with best figures of 5/15.

After retiring in 2003, Akram transitioned into coaching and commentary. He has served as a bowling coach for various teams, including stints with Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. Akram has also been a prominent cricket analyst and commentator