M Shoaib Ahmed: Wasim Akram's record (20 Apr 1998)

Monday, April 20, 1998

Wasim Akram's record

By M. Sohaib Ahmed

On April 11, Pakistan's leading fast bowler, Wasim Akram, became the first bowler in One-day International cricket to reach the 350 wickets mark, when he bowled South African opener Jacques Kallis in East London.

He achieved the feat in his third over of the tri-series. His career total is 350 wickets in 244 One-dayers upto including the Pakistan and South Africa match at East London.

Wasim Akram made his debut in one-day international cricket on November 23, 1984, against New Zealand in Faisalabad. He took none for 31 in his four overs. His first wicket came in his next one-dayer in Melbourne on February 24, 1985, when he bowled the Aussie opener Kepler Wessels and finished with 5 for 21 in 8.1 overs.

Wasim is also one of the 12 players to have achieved the double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in One-day Internationals. He missed 21 of Pakistan's last 100 Tests and 80 of the last 320 One-day Internationals for various reasons. There's one dubious record that Wasim would like to pass on to someone else. He has registered 21 ducks and leading the list this respect in One-day International cricket.

A cricketer of exceptional talent, Wasim Akram was the senior partner in one of the great fast bowling pairs in history. Wasim and Waqar can very easily be mentioned in the same breath as Larwood and Voce, Gregory and McDonald, Lindwall and Miller, Trueman and Statham, Hall and Griffith, Heine and Adcock and Lille and Thomson.

Wasim Akram's first start as captain was in 1993-94 in W. Indies tour which he lost following revolt. He came back to lead the national side after Malik was sacked in the wake of betting charges before the 1996 World Cup. His most notable achievement in his second stint was the 3-0 whitewash of the once mighty West Indies.

Source:: Dawn (https://dawn.com/)