The finest left-hand fast bowler in the
world has walked the earth for 50 years, as of today. And when he started
running in to bowl in the mid-80s, the cricketing world was awe-struck by his
genius. A shade more than 900 wickets in Tests and One-Days, as overwhelming as
it may sound, is just a numerical reference. Brilliance cannot be so starkly
written down, wonder can’t be reduced to sheer numbers. A Wasim Akram delivery
is pure aesthetics in motion. In that giant theatre called world cricket, he
carefully constructed the plot to out-think the batsmen – through swing, speed,
stealth, cunning and control. If Sarfraz discovered the knack of swinging the
old ball, Imran polished the skill further and Wasim mastered the art like
none. He made the ball talk in cryptic tongues. And when he felt like it, he
could even make it sing – by moving the ball both ways in one delivery. Here’s wishing
you a very happy birthday, Wasim!
