The http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sultan-c91758 of Swing: Wasim Akram
Pakistan cricket over the years has been subject to politics, match fixing allegations and many other controversies which have come to the fore in the past over different issues. When Imran Khan first introduced reverse swing in his tour of England and won the test series 2-1 after a gap of 28 years, the Pakistani team received scathing criticism with ball tampering charges leveled against the pace attack. However, out of all the confusion comes raw talent that shocks the cricketing world.
Cricket is important for Pakistan. Such is the dearth of entertainment in Pakistan, that even during times of turmoil and civil unrest, the people of the country look upon the National cricket team to provide them with reprieve by winning matches and tournaments across the globe. As if somehow a win by the national team would connote a change in the overall conditions of the country.
During conditions of socio-political instability following the death of Zia ul Haq, the nation desperately yearned for some hope and inspiration in the country - something that was a metaphor for the changing state of affairs; something that went on to show that the nation could achieve the unimaginable by defying the odds. That is exactly what the Pakistan cricket team provided in the 1992 World Cup in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 after been given a point for the wash out.
The 1992 World Cup was not only won by Pakistan, it also sparked a new era for Pakistani cricket. Many of those players went on to lead the national side in many a tournaments in the years that followed. Out of all, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755, but the world. The Lahore-born Akram made his Test debut in 1985 and took 10 wickets in only his second test.
“The first ball I faced from Wasim was a bouncer. I expected a yorker next ball but got a bouncer again. The third ball too was a bouncer ... And the fourth ball, the last of the over, too was a bouncer and I told myself, welcome to Test cricket,” exclaimed Sachin Tendulkar.
Akram’s performance in the 1992 World Cup and the final, both with the bat and the ball, was more than exemplary. He took 3 important English wickets; wreaking havoc with his devastating bowling spells. Consequently, Akram was awarded the man-of-the-match award for the final. The left armer also became the leading wicket taker in the tournament.
Akram is the second highest wicket taker in ODI cricket and was the first bowler to take more than 400 wickets in both forms of the game. Only http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Muttiah-Muralitharan-c78157, since then, has achieved this feat. Akram had the uncanny ability to use his accuracy and swing to destroy the opposition. He mastered the art of reverse swing that was almost unplayable by the best of batsmen. This earned him the nickname of the ‘Sultan of Swing’. Akram is also the only bowler in cricket history to have taken 4 hat-tricks.
“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,” says Brian Lara.
Akram was not only one of the most economical bowlers the cricketing world has ever seen, but is also a good batsman and an all-rounder. He scored 257 runs in a test match against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Zimbabwe-c3045, which is the highest score by a number eight batsman.
As Akram came down the pitch with his short run-up with his ball concealing bowling action, Wasim proved that it was not necessary for a bowler to be conventional in his bowling style. Moreover, it was Akram’s individuality and talent that eventually proved to outdo every other left arm bowler in the end. Wasim proved his mettle with stellar performances throughout his career. The discovery of Wasim Akram by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Javed-Miandad-c66580 marked the birth of a star; a legend in cricketing history. Wasim, the young ordinary boy from Islamia College Lahore was just the metaphor the Pakistani nation was looking for. An ordinary Pakistani boy, who dreamt to achieve the impossible, and accomplished the unimaginable in cricket grounds across the globe.
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