‘In Pakistan, social media generation calls me match fixer but in India..’- Pakistan legend Wasim Akram disappointed with Pakistan cricket fans
Wasim Akram is one of the greatest cricketers to ever grace the pitch. His records in the game still stand tall among the plethora of successful cricketers who took part in history.
Akram’s cricketing career has been filled with moments that are still talked about in high regard by all cricket fans. There was however one part of his career that crops up from time to time that paints the fast bowler as a villain for Pakistan. In a recent interview, Akram has opened up on the dark chapter of his life and has shown disappointment that his own countrymen put allegations against him.
“In Australia, England, West Indies and India, when they talk about the World XI, when they talk about the best bowler in the world, my name pops up but in Pakistan, this generation, this social media generation, they are the one who come down, every comment they send, they say, ‘oh, he is a match fixer’, not knowing what it was,” said Akram.
The cricketer-turned-commentator however has made peace with it and claims to not worry about people. “I have passed that stage in my life where I have to worry about people,” he stated further.
The cricket board should have been stronger- Wasim Akram
Akram has also talked about Pakistan’s dressing room following Imran Khan and Javed Miandad’s retirement. “After Imran Khan and Javed Miandad retired, there was no one left to control the dressing room. It was so self-destructive. Imagine me playing with people who did that to me? There was just so much distrust. The cricket board should have been stronger, with strong managers and coaches,” he adds.
The match-fixing controversy took place in 1996 when Pakistan played against New Zealand at Christchurch. The player had also come under the scanner for his late withdrawal from the 1996 World Cup quarter-final clash against India which the Pakistan team lost.
Akram however remains one of the greatest fast bowlers the game has ever seen and has the stats to prove it. He has taken 414 wickets in 104 Test matches along with 502 in 351 ODI innings.
