Tag: Wasim Akram

KARACHI: Legendary Pakistan pacers Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis will represent the country in the commentary panel of the forthcoming Asia Cup 2022.

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) on Friday unveiled the star-studded commentary panel for the upcoming 15th edition of the Asia Cup.

The panel comprises five commentators from India, two from Pakistan, and a commentator each from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand.

The list of commentators for the event includes Wasim (Pakistan), Waqar (Pakistan), Ravi Shastri (India), Irfan Pathan (India), Gautam Gambhir (India), Russel Arnold (Sri Lanka), Deep Dasgupta (India), Scott Styris (New Zealand), Sanjay Manjrekar (India), Athar Ali Khan (Bangladesh).

The action-filled tournament will embark on August 27 in United Arab Emirates as the hosts Sri Lanka take on Afghanistan in the curtain-raiser.

Arch-rivals Pakistan and India will lock horns in an adrenaline-rush clash a day later on August 28.

It is apropos to mention here Sri Lanka Cricket will be hosting the tournament in UAE following the ongoing political crisis and economic instability in the country.

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LONDON: Former Pakistan captain and legendary cricketer Wasim Akram has suggested that cricket administrators should consider scrapping 50-over matches from the International calendar and hailed England Test skipper Ben Stokes for his decision to retire from ODI cricket. 

Speaking on The Telegraph’s Vaughany and Tuffers Cricket Club podcast, Akram stated that while Test cricket was still his favourite form of the game, it was now time to think about a major overhaul of the longer white-ball format.

“I think so. In England, you have full houses. In India, Pakistan especially, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, South Africa, one-day cricket you are not going to fill the stadiums.” Akram said when asked by the hosts if cricket administrators should think about scrapping ODI cricket.

“They are doing it just for the sake of doing it. After the first 10 overs, it’s just ‘OK, just go a run a ball, get a boundary, four fielders in and you get to 200, 220 in 40 overs’ and then have a go last 10 overs. Another 100. It’s kind of run-of-the-mill.” he added.

While commending Stokes’ decision to call time on his ODI career, the legendary cricketer believed that the One-day format was dying in modern-day cricket as it was inconvenient for the players to play 50 overs-a-side games in the age of T20 cricket.

“Him deciding that he is retiring from one-day cricket is quite sad but I agree with him,” he said. “Even as a commentator … one-day cricket is just a drag now, especially after T20.”

“T20 is kind of easier, four hours the game is over. The leagues all around the world, there is a lot more money – I suppose this is part and parcel of modern cricket. T20 or Test cricket. One-day cricket is kind of dying.” he concluded.

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KARACHI: Pakistan’s former captain and legendary bowler Wasim Akram believed the national team’s performance in the Asia Cup would be crucial ahead of the high-voltage game between India and Pakistan in the forthcoming T20 World Cup, scheduled later this year.

“It is definitely an exciting clash. We won against them [India] last time but we will have to look at our team’s form in the Asian Cup first,” he said on Kashmir Premier League’s (KPL) live session.

“I hope that Pakistan will win but as always it will be a close game,” he added.

He further lauded the skipper Babar Azam for being the top-ranked batter in the world while praising the team’s exceptional current form.

“Our team is performing really well. Also, our captain is in great form and currently the world’s top batter,” he maintained

Pakistan will lock horns against the arch-rival in the group stage of the ICC T20 World Cup on October 23 at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Akram, who is also the vice president of KPL, hailed the league for serving as a platform for the local players of Kashmir to showcase their talent while rejecting its comparison with the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

“People think KPL is in competition with PSL but that is not the case. KPL serves as a nursery that will provide players to the PSL,” he said.

“KPL proved a stepping stone for players like Zaman Khan and Salman Irshad, and every Kashmiri player can advance like these two,” Akram concluded.

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KARACHI: Pakistan’s legendary left-arm pacer Wasim Akram claimed it was unfortunate for Pakistan that Mohammad Asif could not play for long and termed the latter a ‘wasted talent’.

The legendary Pakistani bowler Wasim has opined on the former right-arm pacer Asif and acknowledged that there is no doubt that he is a wasted talent.

“Yeah, everyone raved about Mohammad Asif. Talent wasted, no doubt,” Akram said on the YouTube show, To Be Honest.

Wasim then went on to commend Asif’s control of the ball and termed the dismal conclusion of his career unfortunate for Pakistan.

“But whoever I talked to, everyone said that they had seen such a bowler after decades. The way he controlled the ball, the way he managed to swing the ball both ways… it’s very unfortunate for him and for Pakistan too,” Wasim stated.

“I haven’t seen him for ages. I have been living in Karachi for 10 years now, I rarely go to Lahore.  He was a kid. Mistakes happen,” he said.

It is pertinent to mention here that Asif was one of the three Pakistani players including the then Test captain Salman Butt and left-arm pacer Mohammad Amir to be involved in the spot-fixing in Lord’s Test in 2010.

The right-arm pacer Asif was initially handed a seven-year ban but could not make his way back into the national side hence after.

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KARACHI: Pakistan’s legendary left-arm pacer Wasim Akram discussed his approach if he would have bowled to India’s current top batter Virat Kohli.

Wasim, who is considered the greatest left-arm pacer of all time with 916 international wickets in a 19-year career, has the plan set up for Kohli if the two would have come face to face, claiming to be quite confident in himself.

“I would have been quite confident in myself. Two wickets down if he entered the batting at 3 or 4. I would assault them if he was a novice in the crease, will swing the ball either toward or away from him, pitching it on the middle stump,” Wasim shared during the Nashpati Prime program, To Be Honest.

“I might switch to Plan B, bowling the bouncer, if that does not work. The fielder should be placed in the deep, and then brought back inside. It is crucial to take several of these minor changes to take down him,” he maintained.

It is pertinent to mention here that Kohli is going through a rough patch in his career. The right-handed batter, who had scored 70 centuries in international cricket in 2019, has found himself unable to reach three figures in any format since then.

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MANCHESTER: Pakistan’s former captain and legendary fast bowler Wasim Akram expressed his willingness to help the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and serve the cricket in Pakistan whenever the board asks for his assistance.

The legendary cricketer in his exclusive talk to this reporter revealed that he would be ready to serve in any capacity whenever the board approaches him for his services to the betterment of Pakistan cricket.

“I provided assistance from time to time whenever the PCB has asked me in the past”, claimed Akram. “I’ll be there at any minute if the PCB asks me for help in the future as well.”

The legendary cricketer showed his naivety when he was asked why he was not offered any role by the PCB yet.

“It is a tough question and I am not able to answer this,” he replied. “In fact, the PCB should be asked this question.”

The legendary pacer gave all the credit to his fans and the homeland for his successful career.

“Whatever I am today, it is because of Pakistan and my fans,” claimed Akram.

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KARACHI: The legendary left-arm pacer Wasim Akram came out in support of the right-arm pacer Hasan Ali and appealed to the cricket fans to support him.

Wasim, in a recent video message, has thrown his weight behind the struggling right-arm pacer Hasan and requested the nation to stop criticizing the latter.

“I have a request to the fans to stop criticizing Hasan Ali. If we do not give him the confidence then who will,” Wasim appealed.

“He barely bowls his second over and starts trending on the Twitter that ‘Why is he playing?’. Please give him some space, he has recently done well for the Lancashire and people are in awe of his services,” he maintained.

مبارک 🇵🇰 ٹیم کو زبردست کھیلے ویسٹ انڈیز کے خلاف پہلا میچ اور بابر کو بھی مبارک، پلیز حسن علی کا پیچھا چھوڑ دو وہ دوسرا اوور نہیں کررہا ہوتا اور ٹرینڈ کررہا ہوتا کہ کیوں کھلایاوہ میچ ونر ہے میں سابق کپتان اس کے پیچھے ہوں۔ ٹوئٹر پر تو یہ حال ہوگیا ہے کہ
(ہوئے باندر تے چھال نہ مارے) pic.twitter.com/xzBhlvTs5A

— Wasim Akram (@wasimakramlive) June 9, 2022

 

Wasim further extended his support for the pacer and termed him the match-winner.

“Hasan, don’t worry about these guys. We all are behind you. As an ex-cricketer and an ex-captain and I think the whole country is behind you. So, my full support is with Hasan,” he said.

The legendary pacer also reviewed the Green Shirts’ performance in the first ODI against West Indies and congratulated Babar and co for the magnificent victory.

“I would like to congratulate Babar for chasing down a 300-plus total, which was a tough task to ask. You scored a hundred, Imam, was again impressive as he is a consistent performer, and then of course Rizwan, we all know how great a player he is. Khushdil then batted well in the end and finished the match,” Wasim stated.

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan defeated the West Indies by five wickets in the first ODI of the series. The skipper Babar Azam laid the foundation of the chase with the century, Imam and Rizwan also chipped in with half-centuries, while Khushdil Shah’s brilliant knock, in the end, completed the match in the final over.

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KARACHI: Former flamboyant international all-rounder Shahid Khan Afridi highly praised legendary fast bowler Wasim Akram after he was added to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)’s Hall of Fame. 

Taking to Twitter, Afridi appreciated PCB for honoring legends with Hall of Fame. “This is an incredible recognition & award for an incredible legend! Wasim Akram was one of my heroes and it was an honour playing with him. I owe so much of my success as a cricketer to Wasim Bhai. Good job PCB in recognising the services of an all-time great,” he wrote. 

This is an incredible recognition & award for an incredible legend! @wasimakramlive was one of my heroes and it was an honour playing with him. I owe so much of my success as a cricketer to Wasim Bhai. Good job PCB in recognising the services of an all-time great. https://t.co/lpwrIMcR5P

— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) February 22, 2022

It must be noted here that Akram received Hall of Fame from former West Indian great, Vivian Richards during Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 7 on February 20.

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LAHORE: Pakistan’s legendary cricketer Wasim Akram thanked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for considering him in the ‘Hall of Fame’.

Taking to Twitter on Monday, Akram expressed his feelings for being acknowledged in the Hall of Fame.

“To have served your country is a great blessing and to be acknowledged for that with HALL OF FAME is a great recognition that too at your home ground before a packed stadium. Felt overwhelmed. I am indebted to my fans, my team-mates, and PCB. Thank you all,” the legendary cricketer wrote. 

To have served your country is a great blessing and to be acknowledged for that with HALL OF FAME is a great recognition …. that too at your home ground before a packed stadium. Felt overwhelmed. I am indebted to my fans, my team-mates and @TheRealPCB. Thank you all https://t.co/4gQcTRPGwP

— Wasim Akram (@wasimakramlive) February 21, 2022

Akram is joined by elite Pakistani cricketers in the Hall of Fame including Hanif Mohammad, Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Waqar Younis, and Zaheer Abbas. Every year, two Pakistani cricketers will be added to this list.

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LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has formally inducted 1992 World Cup winner and former captain, Wasim Akram, into the Hall of Fame, here on Sunday.

The legendary left-arm pacer, who took a total of 916 wickets and scored 6,615 runs during his international career from 1984 to 2003, has been inducted into the elite list of PCB’s Hall of Fame.

Pakistan’s great was awarded a commemorative cap and plaque by the ICC Hall of Famer – Sir Vivian Richards before the start of the 28th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) between Karachi Kings and Quetta Gladiators.

In a PCB released statement, Wasim said he is honoured to have received such a great award and also acknowledged PCB’s initiative.

“I feel privileged to have received this great honour from Sir Vivian Richards, one of the most iconic figures in cricket, and at a venue that remained my home ground during my playing career,” he said.

“I also want to compliment the Pakistan Cricket Board for launching this initiative to recognise and acknowledge the contributions of former cricketers,” he added.

Wasim also said that it is an honour for him to represent Pakistan for such a long period of time and thanked Almighty Allah for providing the opportunity to serve his nation.

“It has been an honour to represent Pakistan for over 18 years during which I played in 460 international matches. Every wicket and every run I scored in these matches was priceless,” he said.

“I can’t thank God Almighty enough for providing me the opportunity to serve this great country at the highest level,” he concluded.

It is worth mentioning here that Wasim is one of the eighth Pakistani cricket legends to be inducted into the PCB Hall of Fame. Abdul Qadir, Fazal Mahmood, Hanif Mohammad, Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Waqar Younis, and Zaheer Abbas are among the others who will be formally inducted into the prestigious group in the coming days.