Wasim Akram Biography

This blog is about Wasim Akram
biography
Full name     Wasim Akram Chaudhry
Born     3 June 1966 (age 45)
Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Nickname     Sultan of Swing, The Two W's (with Waqar Younis), King Of Swing
Height     6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Batting style     Left hand bat
Bowling style     Left arm fast
Role     (All-rounder) bowler and batsman
International information
National side     Pakistan
Test debut (cap 102)     25 January 1985 v New Zealand
Last Test     9 January 2002 v Bangladesh
ODI debut (cap 53)     23 November 1984 v New Zealand
Last ODI     4 March 2003 v Zimbabwe
ODI shirt no.     3
Domestic team information
Years     Team
2003     Hampshire
2000-2001     Lahore
1997-1998     Lahore
1992-2002     Pakistan International Airlines
1988-1998     Lancashire
1986-1987     Lahore
1985-1986     Lahore
1984-1986     Pakistan Automobiles Corporation
Career statistics
Competition     Test     ODI     FC     LA
Matches     104     356     257     594
Runs scored     2898     3717     7161     6993
Batting average     22.64     16.52     22.73     18.90
100s/50s     3/7     0/6     7/24     0/17
Top score     257*     86     257*     89*
Balls bowled     22627     18186     50278     29719
Wickets     414     502     1042     881
Bowling average     23.62     23.52     21.64     21.91
5 wickets in innings     25     6     70     12
10 wickets in match     5     0     16     0
Best bowling     7/119     5/15     8/30     5/10
Catches/stumpings     44/0     88/0     97/0     147/0

Wasim Akram born 3 June 1966 is a former Pakistani left arm fast bowler and left-handed batsman in cricket, who represented the Pakistan national cricket team in Test cricket and One Day International matches.

Akram is regarded as one of the best fast bowlers in the history of cricket. He holds the world record for most wickets in List A cricket with 881 and is second only to Sri Lankan off-spin bowler, Muttiah Muralitharan in terms of One Day International wickets with 502. He is considered to be one of the founders and perhaps the finest exponent of reverse swing bowling.The revolutionary nature of reverse swing initially resulted in accusations of ball tampering by cricket critics, although the skill of the reverse swing delivery has now been accepted as a legitimate ability in cricket. Akram's later career was also tarnished with accusations of match fixing by critics, although these remain unproven.

On 30 September 2009, Akram was one of five new members inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.
Early and personal life

Akram was born in Lahore, Pakistan on June 3, 1966, to a moderately affluent middle-class family.He was educated at Islamia College in Lahore, where he played as an opening bowler and batsman.Like several other Pakistani cricketers during the 1980s, his inclusion into the national side was at the behest of a senior player in the team, which in Akram's case, was Javed Miandad.

Akram was diagnosed with diabetes at the peak of his career but despite the initial psychological blow, he managed to regain his form and went on to produce fine cricketing performances. Since then he has actively sought to be involved in various awareness-raising campaigns for diabetes.

He was married to Huma Mufti in 1995. They had two sons Taimur and Akbar from their marriage of fifteen years. Huma died of multiple organ failure at Apollo Hospital in Chennai, India on 25 October 2009.
International career First-class cricket

In 1988 he signed for Lancashire County Cricket Club in England and went on to become their most successful overseas players. From 1988 to 1998, he opened their bowling attack in their ECB Trophy, Benson & Hedges Cup and National League tournaments. He was a favourite of the local British fans who used to sing a song called "Wasim for England" at Lancashire's matches. In 1998, with Akram as captain, Lancashire won the ECB Trophy and Axa League and finished second in the championship tournament despite losing only five matches in all competitions throughout the season. Apart from the National League second division title in 2003, this was the last time Lancashire won a trophy.