CricInfo Home
News Home

NEWS FOCUS
Rsa in Pak
NZ in India
Zim in Aus

Domestic
Other Series

Champion all-rounder, Wasim Akram, has managed to make it into the 20- man provisional list for next month's tour to England using all his contacts. But the question is why Wasim is so keen to tour England?

Wasim has made four successful tours to England twice as captain. In 1987, he was a member of Imran Khan's tigers who won 1-0 in a five- Test series. He was the leading wicket-taker for Javed Miandad's party in 1992.

In 1996, Wasim captained Pakistan to 2-0 victory over England then inspired his team to reach the final of the 1999 World Cup where his team lost a lopsided final to Australia by eight wickets.

In England, he has taken 53 wickets for Pakistan at 26.58, an impressive performance by all means.

If there was anything left, Wasim achieved that with distinction with his more than a decade-old association with Lancashire.

Overall, Wasim has captured 409 Test and 440 one-day wickets besides leading Pakistan in 25 Tests while winning 12 and losing eight. He has also been a member of the 1992 World Cup winning party.

There is nothing left for the demon pace bowler to achieve. But he is still keen to tour England without realizing that he is not welcome in the team dressing room presently being captained by his once great friend who later turned foe Waqar Younis. And it is certainly not because of his all round and match-winning abilities that his inclusion is being resisted but because he was not sincere to his colleagues during his reign as captain.

It was his attitude which forced Waqar to led a successful nine players rebellion against him in 1994. Not only Waqar, but other senior players had problems with Wasim and that's precisely why they joined the revolt.

When Wasim took over the charge again in 1998, intentionally or unintentionally under bowled the great pace bowler. In the second Test at Hobart against Australia, Wasim tried every bowler except Waqar as Australia achieved more than 350 in the fourth innings to win the Test by four wickets.

Then in the 1999 World Cup, Waqar was played in just one match which forced the paceman to accuse Wasim of deliberately destroying his career.

Although the prospects of Wasim making the team look bleak, he will certainly face isolation and probably humiliation if Waqar surrenders before the `strong recommendations' and agrees to take him to England.

Wasim has learnt all the tricks in the trade from his maestro Imran Khan. But what he has forgotten is that Imran was wise enough to call it a day after the World Cup when he realized the harsh reality that he was not wanted for the 1992 tour to England.

If Wasim is intelligent, he should follow in the footsteps of Imran and quit with honour, grace and dignity.

© Dawn