those who say he's one of the best left arm bowlers r wrong....
those who say he's the best left arm bowler r wrong....
those who say he's one of the best fast bowlers r wrong....
those who say he's the best fast bowler r wrong....
wasim akram is the best bowler the game of cricket has ever seen....
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by armughal: *
wasim akram is the best bowler the game of cricket has ever seen....
[/QUOTE]
TRUE!!!
Excellent piece of writing :k:
Wasim surely is the reason why I still watch cricket. My favorite player and I can never forget the moments when he brought sheer joy with his marvelous deliveries. You just have to look at his face when he is on the field to get excited. Not many people can perform under the circumstances he has thats proof enough of what this man has got. I for one am gonna miss him surely and I might also loose interest in cricket. Good luck to him and the team in the world cup.
Here’s an excerpt from a question and answer session with former England manager David Lloyd:
Charles, Yorkshire:
I know he didn’t bowl that well in the Lord’s Test, but how can anybody think about leaving Wasim Akram out of the Pakistan side? He is still the best in the business.
David Lloyd:
I agree whole-heartedly, Charles. He has been ‘the daddy’ of bowlers for years and years and he is a pleasure to watch.When England were in Pakistan, some general at the Pakistan Cricket Board was very vocal about Wasim being dropped. I couldn’t believe it - he should have stuck to ordering troops. Wasim knows how to move the ball on any surface and at his height, he was express pace. Now he uses his experience to get wickets - just a quality player.
Wasim played for Lancashire under David Lloyd, but I especially liked the bit about the army guy talking crap and how he should stick to ordering troops around. I think I said something similar not so long back 
Anyway, here’s a pic of the great man in typical pose:
[thumb=A]was1.JPG[/thumb]
If it is OK with all of you and GS staff, I would like to send a copy of this thread to Wasim Akram when he retires. I know how to make this happen.
A great legend will be missed from the team. Someone already said that, if he is gone and Shoaib doesn't learn a lesson, we are out of options. We will turn into W Indies. We are running out of pace battery. M Zahid and M Sami were just names, no miracles produced, no speed, accuracy etc.
When can we get a pair as lethal as 2 Ws again? :(
Man..you have a gift mashallah!
I was enchanced reading it and turned somewhat emotional.
What a befitting tribute to a living legend :k:
I hope and pray like all of us that we win the Cup inshallah.
Alright the above were great recollections, now what's left to do is to print it out and mail it to Wasim bhai so he knows what he's worth. I am sure he'd be delighted. :)
:k: That was truly amazing. Even brought out the paki in me (for 2 whole seconds).
Very well written 
A Legend.. There is no wrds that can describe what Wasim Akram has done for Pakistan cricket. No doubt we will not be able to replace him after he is gone. The greatest bowler of all time.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by ~Sehar~: *
Alright the above were great recollections, now what's left to do is to print it out and mail it to Wasim bhai so he knows what he's worth. I am sure he'd be delighted. :)
[/QUOTE]
Let's wait till the World cup is over Sehar. There's still some chapters to be written.
I agree with Mr X.
Let's wait til he retires. We can then publish these tributes in a desi newspaper too. I know how to get that done.
It would be a befitting tribute to him if he finishes the WC tournament with 500 wickets under his belt.
Hey funguy, you seem to know how to get lots of things done. Tell Wasim I'll personally write a two page tribute no matter what he does in the WC, before he retires. And I've had articles published in desi newspapers before so you can guarantee it will be worthy.
Wasim Akram has been without a shadow of a doubt, the greatest bowler that has ever picked up in my lifetime. He has such a great temprament and he is so focused on what he does. He has been a great leader of the Pakistan over the years. Without a doubt one of the greatest bowlers of all time.
One of the true cricketing legends who will never be forgotten!
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Sadi Sobi: *
brought out the paki in me (for 2 whole seconds).
[/QUOTE]
never in my wildest dreams did I think this was possible. j/k
FG, I'd love it if you could get this stuff to Wasim or get it in some desi paper. The GS admins can answer for themselves.
[thumb=A]tradecard.JPG[/thumb]
THE FAMOUS ACTION.
Born 6 June 1966 in Lahore and still resides there with family in two different houses.
1984: Barely 18, takes part in a summer training camp under Pakistan Test bowler Khan Muhammad and is selected to play against touring New Zealand side in October. Takes seven wickets in his first class match against the touring New Zealand in Rawalpindi and gets official recognition by getting selected to play for Pakistan in the following One-day series. In his first match at Faisalabad takes no wicket in four overs that cost him much in Pakistan's victory. In his second Test at Dunedin against New Zealand on their home ground, takes 10 wickets in a lost cause.
1985: Surprises a strong Australian batting line up in a Mini-World Cup game at Perth with 5-21 and a mighty career is launched. Also, takes his first wicket in ODIs.
1986: Score his first Test fifty against West Indies at Faisalabad.
1987: Plays a star role in Pakistan's first Test series triumph against India in India and then against England on their home soil, both under the captaincy of Imran Khan. Also signs up with Lancashire County Cricket Club to play for them for the next four years. Takes his 50th ODI wicket by dismissing Sunil Gavaskar. The same year David Gower is his 50th Test victim.
1988: Plays his first season for Lancashire in the English season. Also takes a hat-trick and scores his first class century the same season.1989: In Sharjah, in match against the West Indies takes his first ODI hat-trick and also claims his 100th wicket in this form of the game. Three weeks later in India, hits master-blaster Viv Richards' penultimate ball Of the over and Pakistan's innings for a huge six at Eden Gardens in the final of the Nehru Cup and helps his side win the 'Rose' trophy.
1990: Takes his 100th Test wicket after getting Terry Alderman out in Melbourne early in the year. Scores his first Test century in the company of Imran Khan at Adelaide and in first 2 Test Matches carries away two Man of the Match awards. Also hits his highest ODI score of 86 at Melbourne. Both these achievements came against Australia under Allan Border. Two months later takes another ODI hat-trick at Sharjah against West Indies.
1992: Takes his 1 50th wicket in ODIs with Andy Flower's wicket. Pakistan wins the 5th cricket World Cup in March and Akram becomes the player of the final for his 18-ball 32 and 3 wickets for 42 against England at Melbourne uncle, lights. Five months later shares the Man of the Series award with fellow fast bowler Waqar Younis after Pakistan beat England 2-1 in the 5-match contest. During the series, he captures Robin Smith's wicket to claim his 150th Test victim in the second match at Lord's.
1993: In January, Akram is appointed captain of Pakistan and loses first Test series as captain in the Caribbean. Is caught with three other team-mates in a Grenada drug bust-up. Prior to the Caribbean trip, Brian McMillian of South Africa at East London becomes his 200th ODI scalp.
1994: Nine team members revolt against his leadership style and is dumped as the Pakistan skipper for the series against New Zealand. Wins 2 man of the match awards straight away and also claims his 200th Test wicket on tour that of Kiwi wicket keeper Tony Blain. Later that year Sanath Jayasuriya is his 250th ODI wicket.
1995: Early in the year, he becomes Pakistan's second Test bowler to take 250 wickets when he dismisses Grant Flower of Zimbabwe. Pakistan faces captaincy crisis and Akram is reinstated as skipper for the second time in his career. Loses his first comeback series against Australia on their home ground but is retained for the coming World Cup.
1996: Pakistan fail to defend their title when archrivals India thrash them in Bangalore. Akram is the villain for pulling out of the match due to a suspect rib injury. Five months later, he leads Pakistan to Test series victory in England and also takes his 300th Test wicket (Allen Mullaly) at The Oval. In the home series against Zimbabwe, scores his highest Test score of 257 not out at Sheikhupura. During that innings, he hits 12 sixes to create new world record. Against the same team, he takes his 300th ODI wicket (David Houghton), the only one to do so. Then leads Pakistan to victory in the Sharjah triangular - beating Sri Lanka and New Zealand.
1997: Creates history as captain when first of all Pakistan dump favorites Australia out of the Carlton and United World Series Cup and then beat the West Indies in two straight finals to lift the trophy, Pakistan's first in six attempts. Loses the Sharjah Cup in April after being under press attack for match-fixing allegations in late March. Gets injured and plays no cricket for Lancashire in the English county season. In late October comes back as Pakistan captain far the third time and creates another history as West Indies are thrashed 3-0 in the Test series in Pakistan. In December Pakistan lose matches in the Sharjah Champions Trophy in strange fashion from winning positions and once again under public outcry, Akram resigns from the captaincy.
In January, Pakistan drop their star player on fitness grounds for the 3-month African tour but joins the team there in March as he finds new supporters in the PCB. In April, he becomes the first bowler in international cricket to take 350 wickets (Jacques Kallis) in a match against South Africa at East London. Publishes his autobiography in which he stuns the establishment and his teammates with a number of revelations on his life and cricket.
I can go on and on and on but lets just take a break....
the saddest part in all this is to imagine a pakistan team playing a cricket match without the presence of wasim akram....
will be such a huge loss to the bowling....
and even the batting....
even if ppl claim he aint good at batting, someone can rethink it seeing his performance in the practice match yesterday (a fiery 33 not out)....
and he's done much better batting, in the most asking moments....
Wasim was the best bowler we have ever had, and the worst example.
I believe Wasim deserves his top ten place in cricketing legends, as he undoubtedly is the best bowler Pakistan has ever produced since the eighties. His several Sharjah performances will always be remembered, and also his 2 wickets in the cup final of 1992.
He is a hero, God Bless him.
".....I don’t know whether he took money and threw a few matches, and I don’t give a *. Call it sub-continental psychology, which makes people ignore corruption as long as the work gets done, call it whatever. I will remain grateful to him for the joy and pride he gave me,..... And I suspect there are millions ......who feel the same as I do. They don’t give a **. *"
The above lines are not mine, I borrowed them from an article which was written in favor of Kapil after he was accused of match fixing., But they exactly express my sentiments.I think In case of Akram also - I DONT GIVE A ****, even if he took money and threw some matches...