Wasim Sparkles Off The Pitch!
By Binoy Thomas
Toronto: Who hasn’t heard of Wasim Akram, the reverse swing magician whose record of 500 plus wickets still stand as the best for any fast bowler in ODI. Naturally, Akram was was a big draw during a recent visit to Canada at the invitation of RBC. An exciting player during his time on the pitch, he is still drawing the admiration from the cricket fans for his bindaas style and frank remarks that often make some ‘serving Pakistani generals’ choke on their morning cuppa!
He was in the same brilliant ‘bowling’ form when he addressed a group of community members and media recently in Toronto.
Instead of making a speech and boring the crowd, he decided to field questions from the gathering, and he took it all well, the short ones, the tricky ones and the straight balls, that came at him, though, during his playing career, he was the one who put everyone else on the backfoot, including Brian Lara, Sachin Tendular and Ricky Ponting. At no time, did he say ‘no comments’!
He began by setting the record straight – it was not he who invented the ‘reverse swing’ though he is considered its finest exponent. It was Sarfraz Nawaz and Sikandar Bakht who perfected it in the seventies, who then passed the ‘secret’ to Imran Khan. Imran then taught it to Wasim Akram and Waqar Yunis.
Obviously, Wasim carries a torch for his former skipper, Imran Khan, even today, wishing someday, “he would rule Pakistan”.
Right now, fans of Pakistan cricket is praying for a captain like Imran Khan to save the day. Wasim says, “In every game, a captain plays an important role, but in cricket, his role is critical. A captain has to decide in a split second what needs to be done on the field, without any help from anyone, except perhaps some advice from senior players. No other game depends on the captain so much.”
He pointed out that Shahid Afridi, who announced his retirement recently, has been replaced by Misbah-ul-Haq who is 38, and he most likely will not be playing in the next cup. “If he retires, or is injured, there is no one else. There is no Plan B. Obviously, Pakistan cricket has no long term plans,” he quips. “In the past two years, they have changed five captains!”
He went on to make a dig at Shahid Afridi’s retirement. “Shahid has announced his retirement three times in the past. I told him recently, Shahid, think for at least an hour hour, before you announce your retirement next time!”
Talking about the recent world cup and Pakistan’s lacklustre semi final match against India, Wasim said, “It was too big a game for Pakistan. The Prime Minister was there in person. Then, our Interior Minister, Rehman Malik saab, said some obscene things like ‘we are monitoring the players so that they don’t fix the match’. India media picked it up and ran with it. The team was under too much pressure. Also India was a much more experienced team. Before the match, whenever they asked me who will win, I would put it to 50-50 for either side. But I knew all along, it was more like 70-30 in India’s favour.”
When asked about the troubles facing Pakistan cricket in recent times, he equates the scene to what is happening within the country. “People ask me all the time why Pakistan cricket is not consistent. We are a product of Pakistan. Whatever is happening in the country, whether in politics or other areas, the same is with cricket. Now we have Ijaz Butt saab who is 75 years old, heading our Board. And he takes each and every decision himself. Instead, there should be separate departments, a cricket committee, a marketing committee etc who should look at the various aspects. It’s impossible for one man to make all the correct decisions. Obviously, these things are not happening there. That is why, you see so much inconsistency in Pakistan cricket.”
For the record, by now, everyone knows that Wasim Akram is not among the favourites of Pakistani cricket establishment. In fact, very often, he is a thorn on their side, his comments often funny and acerbic. He told the Toronto crowd of the days when was captain of the team, how he had to keep almost daily contact with the then chair of the Cricket Board who was a “serving general”. “Otherwise, woh upset ho jata hai(he used to get upset),” he said to much laughter. “I used to go to his home and have tea with him almost every other day. He told me that he knew more about cricket than me because he used to, used to, play every Sunday!”
And just recently, he made some more comments about Ijaz Butt and Shahid Afridi. “Obviously, it was meant as a joke, but Ijaz Butt saab went on television and said that I should stay in India and not interfere in Pakistan cricket. Look at him, instead of fixing the problems, he has all the time to go after me on television.”
Wasim would like to see his former captain Imran Khan at the helm of affairs. No, not as the Chair of the Cricket Board, but as head of the country! “Let Imran run the country, Inshah Allah, we need a leader like him. He’s honest. That’s something we need in our politics.”
At present, Wasim Akram is persona non grata with the establishment. And it’s a pity because Pakistan can certainly do with someone of his calibre, and yes, it also will be better served with the Wasim brand of humour. Perhaps, he would like to move to Canada, someone suggested? “Yes, if such an opportunity comes along… I will definitely consider it,” says Wasim. After all, both his brother and sister live here, and the weather, at this time of the year at least, is good for cricket. However, he will not be moving here long term, but he thinks he could be here for “training camps or consultation”. I guess, Canada still can’t match what Shah Rukh Khan is paying him as the Bowling Coach for his Kolkata Knight Riders!
Can Canada hope for a world-beating cricket team? Why not? But it takes time and a lot of funding. “I think the talent is there. But a proper structure has to be created. Why Bangladesh cricket has not improved over the years? Because its first class cricket structure remains the same as it was 30 years ago. A lot funding is required to look after even one pitch. But it needs to be done. Otherwise, the game cannot develop.”
A lady from Pakistan then ended the free for all with Wasim Akram, by saying (of course, with due apologies to the Indians present) that if given a choice, she would rather be photographed with Wasim Akram than Shah Rukh Khan! I am sure, former Miss Universe, Sushmita Sen, feels the same way these days.
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