60 Facts About Wasim Akram

1.

Wasim Akram HI is a Pakistani cricket commentator, coach, and former cricketer and captain of the Pakistan national cricket team.

2.

Wasim Akram is often revered as The Sultan of Swing.

3.

In October 2013, Wasim Akram was the only Pakistani cricketer to be named in an all-time Test World XI to mark the 150th anniversary of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack.

4.

Wasim Akram is considered to be one of the founders, and perhaps the finest exponent of, reverse swing bowling.

5.

Wasim Akram was the first bowler to reach the 500-wicket mark in ODI cricket, and he did so during the 2003 World Cup.

6.

Wasim Akram was ranked as the best bowler in ODI of all time, with a rating of 1223.5, ahead of Allan Donald, Imran Khan, Waqar Younis, Joel Garner, Glenn McGrath and Muralitharan.

7.

Wasim Akram took 23 four-wicket hauls in 356 ODI matches played.

8.

On 30 September 2009, Wasim Akram was one of five new members inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.

9.

Wasim Akram was the bowling coach of Kolkata Knight Riders.

10.

Wasim Akram was working as director and bowling coach of Islamabad United in Pakistan Super League until he left to join Multan Sultans in August 2017.

11.

Wasim Akram was born on 3 June 1966 to a Punjabi Muslim Arain family in Lahore.

12.

Wasim Akram was educated at Government Islamia College, Civil Lines, Lahore.

13.

At the age of 30, Wasim Akram was diagnosed with diabetes.

14.

On 7 July 2013, it was reported that Wasim Akram had become engaged to an Australian woman, Shaniera Thompson, whom he had met while on a visit to Melbourne in 2011.

15.

Wasim Akram married Shaniera on 12 August 2013, saying he has started a new life on a happy note.

16.

Wasim Akram moved from Lahore to Karachi with his wife and children.

17.

Wasim Akram was addicted to cocaine after his playing career ended.

18.

Wasim Akram later joined Ludhiana Gymkhana with the help of his friend, Khalid Mahmood.

19.

In 1988, Wasim Akram signed for Lancashire County Cricket Club in England.

20.

Wasim Akram was a favourite of the local British fans, who used to sing a song called "Wasim for England" at Lancashire's matches.

21.

Wasim Akram made his Test cricket debut for Pakistan against New Zealand in 1985, and in his second Test match, he claimed 10 wickets.

22.

Wasim Akram came to the trials at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore in Pakistan, but for the first two days he did not get a chance to bowl.

23.

Wasim Akram was hence given an opportunity to play for Pakistan, without any significant domestic experience.

24.

Wasim Akram's rise in international cricket was rapid during the late 1980s.

25.

Wasim Akram was a part of the Pakistan team that toured the West Indies in 1988.

26.

Wasim Akram is currently the highest wicket taker for Pakistan in test cricket with 414 wickets.

27.

Wasim Akram started his ODI career against New Zealand in Pakistan in 1984 under the captaincy of Zaheer Abbas.

28.

Wasim Akram's wickets included those of Kepler Wessels, Dean Jones, and captain Allan Border.

29.

Wasim Akram is currently the highest wicket taker for Pakistan in One Day International cricket.

30.

On 4 May 1990 in Sharjah, Wasim Akram took his second ODI hat-trick against Australia.

31.

Up until December 1991, Wasim Akram took 143 wickets in 107 matches, with an average of almost 24 and an economy rate of 3.84.

32.

Wasim Akram was a significant figure in the 1992 Cricket World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand when Pakistan won the tournament.

33.

Wasim Akram then took the wicket of Ian Botham early on during the English batting innings; and, when brought back into the bowling attack later on, with the ball reverse swinging, he produced a spell of bowling which led to Allan Lamb and Chris Lewis being bowled in successive deliveries in one over.

34.

Wasim Akram's performances earned him the Man of the Match award for the final.

35.

In 1993, Wasim Akram took two consecutive 4-wicket hauls against Sri Lanka in Sharjah, in which 7 out of 8 wickets were either LBW or bowled.

36.

Wasim Akram took 46 wickets in calendar year 1993, his best year ever in ODIs.

37.

Wasim Akram's average was less than 19, with an economy rate of less than 3.8 runs per over.

38.

Wasim Akram took six 4-wicket hauls in 1993, the most by him in any year.

39.

From January 1992 to December 1997, Wasim Akram played 131 matches and took 198 wickets at an average of 21.86, with 14 4-wicket hauls in ODIs.

40.

Wasim Akram was Pakistan's best bowler in the 2003 Cricket World Cup, taking 12 wickets in 6 matches.

41.

However, Pakistan failed to reach the super six of the tournament, and Wasim Akram was one of the eight players to be sacked by the Pakistan Cricket Board as a result.

42.

Wasim Akram hit 12 sixes in that game, and it stands to this day as the record for the most sixes by any player in a single Test innings.

43.

Wasim Akram fulfilled his contract play for Hampshire until the end of the English season.

44.

Since retiring from cricket, Wasim Akram has worked and taken up commentary for television networks and can currently be seen as a sports commentator for ESPN Star Sports and ARY Digital among others.

45.

Wasim Akram did commentary on a variety of sporting tournaments including the 2009 Women's Cricket World Cup in Australia, the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 in England, the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa, and the 2011 ICC World Cup in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

46.

In 2010, Wasim Akram was appointed the bowling coach consultant of Kolkata Knight Riders, the Indian Premier League team for Kolkata.

47.

Wasim Akram has thus been playing a vital role in the grooming of Indian pacers like Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav, who owe their success in international cricket a lot to the bowling legend.

48.

Wasim Akram has been coaching in Pakistan fast bowling camps, his most notable discovery being the teenage Pakistani bowlers Mohammad Amir and Junaid Khan.

49.

Wasim Akram has worked as director and bowling coach of PSL franchise Islamabad United during 2016 and 2017 season.

50.

Wasim Akram has worked with Multan Sultans as director and bowling coach.

51.

Wasim Akram is currently chairman and bowling coach of Karachi Kings.

52.

Wasim Akram is currently the Vice President of Kashmir Premier League.

53.

Over my 15 or 16 years of playing international cricket in Tests and One Day Internationals, Wasim Akram is definitely the most outstanding bowler I've ever faced.

54.

Wasim Akram was a man possessed of accurate control of line and length, accompanied by seam and swing bowling skills, extended to both inswingers and outswingers.

55.

Wasim Akram achieved good scores for the Pakistan team such as his scores of 123 and 45* against Australia to take Pakistan to victory in a low scoring match.

56.

Wasim Akram's batting was valuable sometimes to the Pakistan ODI side, such as in the Nehru Cup in 1989, when needing six runs and two balls to win the match, he hit the first delivery he faced, from part-time off-spinner and batting legend, Viv Richards, for a six and secured the cup.

57.

Wasim Akram was a model at the Pantene Bridal Couture Week 2011, which was an event of Style 360.

58.

Wasim Akram was awarded Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1993 for his sporting achievements.

59.

Wasim Akram was awarded Lux Style Award for Most Stylish Sports Person in 2003.

60.

Wasim Akram's autobiography titled Sultan: A Memoir, co-authored by cricket writer Gideon Haigh, was published in 2022 by HarperCollins.