Former Pakistan speedster Wasim Akram is widely regarded among the legends of the game with more than 900 international wickets to his name. The veteran pacer did not just trouble batters around the world with his lethal pace, he also led the Pakistan team with example as well.
However, Akram has recently revealed that his life was not always the most glamorous one as he had to struggle to make ends meet early in his career. He also opened up on his struggle days before making his debut for Pakistan and also shared how the game completely changed his financial situation as well.
“I joined a club in Lahore after one of my neighbors, former first-class cricketer Khalid Mahmood, saw me playing. I told him I won’t be able to afford 100 rupees per month to join the club. He said, don’t worry they won’t charge you. Then, during a camp at the Gaddafi stadium, I bowled to Javed Miandad, who was coming out of injury. Javed bhai got very impressed,” Wasim Akram said to the ‘Grade Cricketer.’
“Within a month, New Zealand arrived and my name was in the team to play the first-class game against them. The manager of the team gave me 3000 rupees. That was a lot of money for me. My dad used to give me 200 a month. In the first innings, I got 7/50 – I don’t know how!,” he further added.
“He would take advantage of my junior status” – Wasim Akram on Saleem Malik
However, Wasim Akram played a total of 104 Tests and 356 ODI matches for the Pakistan Cricket Team in which he took 414 and 502 wickets respectively as well.
The veteran has also accused his former Pakistan teammate Saleem Malik of treating him like a servant in his initial days. Akram said that senior teammate Malik made him give massage and clean his clothes and boots as well. Akram made the shocking revelations in his biography ‘Sultan: A Memoir’.
“He would take advantage of my junior status. He was negative, selfish and treated me like a servant. He demanded I massage him, he ordered me to clean his clothes and boots,” read an excerpt from the biography as well.
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