Wasim Akram
Pakistan·Bowler·Age 26
Career
Wasim Akram is generally regarded as the finest left-arm fast bowler the game has produced, and the player who did most to make reverse swing a mainstream skill. He bowled off a short run with a whippy, open-chested action that gave batters almost no sight of the ball before release.
His two wickets in successive deliveries in the 1992 World Cup final turned that match and won Pakistan the trophy. He could swing the new ball both ways and the old ball later and sharper than anyone, and he was a dangerous lower-order hitter who once made 257 not out in a Test.
Highlights
- Took two wickets in successive balls in the 1992 World Cup final
- Widely regarded as the greatest left-arm fast bowler in history
- Made reverse swing a mainstream fast-bowling skill
- Scored 257 not out in a Test match as a lower-order batter
Overview
What the figures show
Wasim Akram is listed as a bowler from Pakistan. The competitions covered on this site hold no completed matches under this name.
International
Career record
| Format | M | Inns | Runs | HS | Avg | SR | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODIfrom 2002 | 6 | 5 | 71 | 33 | 23.67 | 102.9 | 0 | 0 |
Figures marked with a year cover only part of this career — the ball-by-ball archive behind these numbers begins in 2001 for Tests and 2002 for One Day Internationals.
Questions
About Wasim Akram
Why is Wasim Akram considered the best left-arm fast bowler?
He combined pace, a deceptive short run-up and open-chested action, and mastery of both conventional and reverse swing, which let him take wickets in every condition.
What did Wasim Akram do in the 1992 World Cup final?
He dismissed Allan Lamb and Chris Lewis with successive deliveries, a double strike that decided the match and won Pakistan their first World Cup.
Was Wasim Akram a good batter?
A dangerous lower-order hitter — he scored 257 not out in a Test against Zimbabwe, at the time the highest score by a number eight.
Sources
- IPL figures computed from ball-by-ball records of every IPL match.
- International figures computed from Cricsheet ball-by-ball data, licensed CC BY 4.0.
- Biographical details compiled from public records.