The Sultan of Swing: Waseem Akram-led Pakistani Cricket
2 : Waseem Akram: Sultan of Swing, one of the greatest fast bowlers in cricket history. A DETAILED JOURNEY THROUGH THE LIFE OF A CRICKETING ICON June 3, 1966 ∞ Lahore, Pakistan Wasim Akram was born in the densely populated city of Punjab and his life transformed into a cricketing legend. In terms of the sport, fast bowling to be specific – his impact in that department has been unforgettable and is something which many cricketers aspiring to play for their national team refer back upon time over again.
### Childhood and Start of Cricket Career
Growing up, Waseem Akram was crazy about sports, particularly cricket. Akram was naturally attracted to the sport given his life in Lahore, a city famous for its cricket culture. It was in Government Islamia College, Lahore that the cricket instincts of this guy tumbled out. Unlike the normal cricketers emergence from youth academies or clubs, for Akram it was not the case. He was spotted in a talent hunt led by one of Pakistan cricket's finest batsmen, Javed Miandad. Miandad saw the raw pace and untapped potential of Akram , who would then board a bus with him completely unaware that this moment was going to be his stepping stone into superstardom.
International Premiere and Career Early
Waseem Akram played his first international hailing from Pakistan in the month of November 1984 against New Zealand as a part of ODIs. His Test debut arrived a few weeks later, against the same opposition in January 1985. At that time he was an unsung youngster who , however, quickly made his mark due to being both quick and crafty with swing. He showed a lot of early promise and was a regular in the Pakistani team.
Akram was an old ball bowler and would swing the both ways against any batsman in International cricket with his aggression on best. However, his unique set of skills helped him to thrive in all the conditions be it swinging pitches of England or spinning tracks as seen in Asia. Akram was at his peak during a golden era for Pakistan cricket and he played an integral part in some of the team's successes of the late 1980s and early '90s.
The 1992 World Cup Glory
Waseem Akram had his defining moment in 1992 Cricket World Cup. Despite that loss, Pakistan defied the odds to win cricket's flagship event in Australia and New Zealand. Akram was a giant figure within the team en-route their triumph. Pakistan had a mixed time in the tournament under Imran Khan and for much of it seemed destined not to progress beyond the group stage.
But Pakistan did the miracle and this resurgence was led by no other than Akram himself. Akram had played one of the most impossible innings in the history of World Cup finalist, against England. He scalped 3 key wickets in the form of Ian Botham, Allan Lamb and Chris Lewis. In particular, his dismissals of Lamb and Lewis were iconic with Akram conjuring up two unplayable deliveries which swung prodigiously to prize out the batsmen. Akram fondly shares a place in the history books with his country, as Pakistan's heroics to win the 1992 World Cup remains one of its most celebrated moments and this triumph in Melbourne was capped off by him being named Man of the Match.
Master the art of Swing Bowling
The biggest asset of Waseem Akram as a bowler is he could swing the bowl both ways. Among the different techniques he mastered over the years, reverse swing was one of it. Reverse swing, which is when the ball swings in opposite direction to that of conventional swing, is a craft not easy to command and Akram was one if its early masters. He was also a nightmare for batsmen, especially during the closing stages of an innings due to his sheer pace and ability to generate late swing.
On the other hand, Akram's understanding of swing bowling was second to none and those attributes were only added on with his knowledge about playing conditions. He was a clever bowler who could deceive batsmen with slight changes in pace, length or direction. He skilful, quick and intelligent — all this combined to make him one of the most feared bowlers in his era. In conditions that were ideal for swing as well, Akram put most legends such as Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara to the sword.
### Captaincy and Leadership
Waseem Akram was a legend in the Pakistan team especially for his magnificent bowling and he also captained cricket. He took over as captain in 1993 when Imran Khan retired. Following the same aggressive and tactical bias, under a different leader after all (he led them with an alien leadership style), as his predecessor. He led them to series wins over England and Australia during his time as skipper together with other notable achievements for Pakistan.
However, Akram's appointment as captain was not free of disputes. The Pakistan cricket team was infamous for its internal politics and factionalism, became yakety-yak of match-fixing allegations during Akram's captaincy as well with disputes within the players. But despite these challenges, Akram went on to become a role model around the world with his clean game.
##The End As We Know It Has Ended
During a near-20-year international career, Waseem Akram accomplished many milestones. He was the first bowler to capture 500 wickets in ODIs, a record that remained unbroken for several years. Akram claimed over 400 wickets in Test cricket as well which further establish his prominence among the all-rounders of fast bowling.
Akram bid adieu to international cricket in 2003 after playing International for Pakistan. His retirement was an end of an era for Pakistan cricket as he a veteran in the side by then. But the indelible imprint he left on his sport was felt years after.
### Retirement & Ending legacy
Even after bidding adieu to international cricket, Waseem Akram was involved in the game at different levels. Coaching across teams like the Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL and with Pakistan as well. Akram was held in high regard for his insights and knowledge, which also saw he plays a key role in grooming young pace bowlers.
Aside from coaching, Akram has been a top cricket commentator and analyst. His ability of deep understanding has made him a celebrated figure among the cricketing world talking his thoughts out. He has also worked in charitable activities especially with regards to diabetes, a disease he was diagnosed with long time back.
The legendary Waseem Akram of cricket. He is largely considered one of the greatest fast bowlers in cricketing history and has been awarded with a lot of honours, due to his services to the game. This legendary status of his was further fortified when he became a member of the ICC Cricket Hall In 2009.
The impact of these bowlers on modern-day fast-bowling
Waseem Akram has a huge influence on the fast bowling of today. His ability to swing-bring, especially reverse-swing bowl is a model for many fast bowlers who have played there around the world. It's a matter of fact where bowlers like James Anderson , Mitchell Starc and Jasprit Bumrah has actually credited Akram for their success by using his techniques in the game.
The pace with swing of Akram and his tactical brain changed the face of fast bowling forever. He demonstrated that a pace-bowler could be aggressive and intelligent, abroad to deceive the optimum batsman on this planet. Coaches and players rely upon the techniques of his fast bowling, which makes him a genuine vision junior pioneers.
## Personal Life & Challenges
Waseem Akram has had his moment of glory in life, but also some sad moments. References[edit]Mufti was married to Huma Mufti and has two sons Tahmoor, Akbar. Sadly, Akram was left devastated when she contracted a rare fungal infection and died in 2009.
Although he personal struggles along the way, Akram has shown unparalleled resilience and serves as an encountered inspiration to many. He married Australian social worker Shaniera Thompson and the couple share a daughter, Aiyla. And it is not just on the field that Akram has become a role-model: his subsequent openness about being diabetic and use of this to raise awareness, in Pakistan most notable as part of an advertising campaign for Roche Pharmaceuticals' Accu-Chek blood-glucometer earlier this year, endeared him very much to a nation where cricket was all.
### Conclusion
Waseem Akram deserves income terms of his life as well as career. One of the most awe-inspiring stories in sports that takes you from rags to global cricketing superstar is his journey, hailing all the way back from humble origins in Lahore. And his place in the pantheon of greats, particularly fast bowlers (he was genuinely spoken about as WG Grace's equal), is assured with a legacy that still serves not just to retrospect upon but also look forward and doff our cap at.
An ambassador for the sport with a career of great highs on and off-field, Akram has been involved in cricket as one could ever be. Waseem Akram, the "Sultan of Swing" will always live on in cricket history books and it is mainly sure that his impact will lead future cricketers for many generations to come.