The right way to make exit
There’s a hint of regret, a tinge of sadness in Wasim Akram’s tone. Talk has turned to Steve Waugh’s appreciative home-town reception and Akram, pacing behind the Bradman Stand yesterday, pauses momentarily.
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“Every sportsman should get a send-off like this,” said Akram, in Australia on a commentary assignment with India’s ESPN network. “Mine was very, very quiet. This is the right way to go.”*
Unlike Waugh, whose fabled career is drawing to a close, Akram left the international arena in less than triumphant circumstances last year.
After Pakistan’s disastrous World Cup campaign, history’s most prolific one-day wicket-taker ended his 356 limited-overs and 104-Test career (414 wickets, seventh all-time) in England, midyear, with minimal fanfare.
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“No one gave me any send-off,” he said. “But Steve deserves it and I think it’s something to be proud of, that a lot of people are behind him today. He has done so much for his country and now the whole country is showing love to back to him.”
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Akram’s enduring memory of Waugh? Rawalpindi, 1995. Akram, then at the height of his cricketing powers, embarked on a fast, ferocious spell of bowling. And Waugh was in trouble.
“He didn’t middle a ball in my spell - I was beating him and he was leaving a lot of balls,” Akram said. “But he stood there and got 98 and that was very, very impressive. I just wanted to kill him, as a bowler. That was probably the quickest I’ve ever bowled.”
Akram’s respect for Waugh extended beyond that one, gritty innings. Although admittedly not the Australian captain’s closest comrade away from the field, Akram maintained a healthy respect for Waugh’s cricketing and leadership skills throughout their many international duels.
His field placements, the former Pakistani skipper recalled, were highly effective. His bowling changes were invariably astute. But Akram believes Waugh’s greatest asset lay in a less obvious sphere.
“From a captaincy point of view, you look at Steve when he’s fielding and he’s very calm,” Akram said. "You can’t tell any expressions on his face, so you always know he is in control.
"That’s what you don’t want to see in an opposition captain. He looks quite cool … and you can never tell if the pressure is hurting him.
“He was one of the best I’ve played against. His cricketing skills, the way he set his field … He’s a great captain.”
Sad…very Sad !!! 
Why hero’s in subcontinant are usually given a very bad send off ( perhaps Gavaskar and Imran were only exceptions I think).
Otherwise many greats (kapil,javed,Wasim,Zaheer,Azhar,Arvinda)left cricket and on one noticed. This is very sad.
