Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has revealed his plan of getting the wicket of modern great Virat Kohli in his prime. Akram said that he would have attacked Kohli from the first ball itself and would be ready with Plan B if Plan A failed.
Akram is rated among the top 10 bowlers of all time. He is placed sixth on the list of most wickets in International cricket with 916 wickets to his name at a stunning average of 23.57. Akram was the first bowler to breach the 500-wicket mark in ODI cricket. He was the leading wicket-taker in the format before he was overtaken by Muttiah Muralitharan. Akram finished his career with 502 ODI wickets to his name.
“I would have had a lot of confidence. If he came to bat at 3 or 4, it means two wickets down. If he is new to the crease, then I would attack. Will make the ball pitched on middle stump, and swing it away, or towards him. If that doesn’t work, I would switch to Plan B, which would be bowling the bouncer. Place the fielder in the deep and then put him back inside… making several such small chances are important to get the better of him,” Akram said in the To Be Honest show on Nashpati Prime.
Akram also went down memory lane and shared the story of how he got the chance to make his debut in 1984. He was an unknown bowler with no significant domestic experience but he impressed Javed Miandad during the trials in Lahore and was selected for the national team.
“Javed bhai picked me. Then once I came into the team, I met Imran Khan – that was in Australia in 1985. I was bowling in the nets, and that is where he saw me. He got impressed and then when I played a three-day match against New Zealand, that was my first FC match. I couldn’t sleep the night. In the first innings itself, he was very relaxed.” Akram added.
