Wasim Akram Not Coaching Pakistan Team Is A Shocker Few Would’ve Expected!

414 Test match wickets. 502 One day international wickets. No fewer than 40,813 deliveries overall in international cricket. And on the whole, a whopping 916 wickets whilst wearing the bright Pakistani green.

The legend of Wasim Akram

There are exceptional fast bowlers. There are legendary fast bowlers. And then there are timeless icons of the game; players that come only once in a generation. Wasim Akram unquestionably belongs to this latter category.

At his peak, he made life hell for the batters and truth be told, he bowled to a generation that was composed of unquestionable greats: whether one speaks about Sachin Tendulkar, Mark Waugh, Rahul Dravid, Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis, Arvind Da Silva or Brian Lara.

As a matter of fact, Wasim Akram didn’t just make life hell for these greats; he made anyone challenging Pakistan’s authority in the great game a living nightmare.

What made Wasim Akram a standout

Thanks to cricketing smarts, an inherent temerity and sheer wizardry with the red and white ball, Wasim Akram ruled the game with a sense of irreversible authority and is perhaps the very best even today. To put it simply, in a league of his own.

And yet, the thing that is perhaps every bit as fascinating as it mysterious is just why the great left arm seamer has never been considered as the coach of the side that would perhaps be something different under the guidance of the man.

Pakistan has produced courageous cricketers who have held their own against the very best in the business, whether it is Australia, India, the West Indies or England. You cannot simply judge as to who’s mightier: Shoaib or Waqar, Wasim or Imran. Perhaps only fair to say that the debate rages on.

And yet, to not have this famous man as the fatherly figure guiding the next generation fast bowlers who are abundantly blessed with talent is something absurd.

Surely, we know that things can get hard where it comes to certain international sides, especially in terms of administrative affairs such as the West Indies and Pakistan. But still?

Why has such a legend never been considered to coach Pak ever?

So what is the reason that Wasim Akram has never coached

“I can accept criticism if the team is not doing well. But in Pakistan cricket, it is intolerable the way the captain and coaches are not only criticised but also abused by everyone.”

Having said, what peculiar issues associated with coaching the Pakistan team affect the psychology of the great bowling legend Wasim Akram?

He’d state the following:

“The abuse and at times hate which the captain and coach have to bear, I don’t think I am up to it. I don’t have that tolerance level, especially when it comes to the use of social media. They are some people who I think only sit on Twitter day and night to send out negative comments.”

Though, that is not all that he shared; the famous left arm legendary pacer also highlighted the key difference that is coaching a league-based side vis-a-vis the actual a challenge associated with coaching the international men’s cricket team representing the country:

“League cricket is different, the pressure and expectation levels are different, which is why I am involved with the Karachi Kings side in the PSL. I am always willing to be of service to Pakistan cricket but not at the cost of having to bear unnecessary criticism and abuse from anyone out there.”

Fun fact: Wasim Akram faced no fewer than 9,597 deliveries from Tests and ODI’s combined. That’s besides being one heck of a bowler himself.