Wasim Akram says he is an Indian footballer who once gave him advice, and now tweets against Pakistan: ‘He was a fan of ours, he grew up watching us’
There is a saying on the local cricket circuit in Delhi: Every young man who walks with his left arm considers himself more generous. (Every young man who walks with his left arm sees himself as such Waseem Akram. It is not said to be disparaging of the bowler in any way, but rather as a tribute to the man who is widely regarded as the greatest left-arm fast bowler of all time. Wasim Akram was many things: an all-rounder, a captain, a handy lower-order batsman, and he once scored 257 runs, his highest Test score. But what he achieved with the ball is still unparalleled, even 23 years after his retirement. With 502 ODI wickets, he still holds the record of being the highest wicket-taker in the format, second overall after Sri Lankan great Muttiah Muralitharan. Maybe yet Imran Khan Along with Javed Miandad, Akram remains Pakistan’s third best cricketer of all time.
So, when a young left-arm spinner from India wreaked havoc in Australia and Pakistan in 2003, it was thought he would stick around forever. He had an exhilarating start. In his first Test in Sydney, he dismissed Steve Waugh before getting to Adam Gilchrist with a reverse-swinging yorker. In the tri-series ODI series, he took 16 wickets from 10 matches and later, when he toured Pakistan, he took eight from three. With Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nohra already established, Irfan PathanThe rise has given India its own version of Wasim Akram. He had similar movement, was quick, and most importantly, was able to reverse the ball.
Pathan selected Akram Akram and became India’s new bowler for several years, but his career was hampered by injuries and the emergence of a new generation of Indian footballers. The man who won India’s man-of-the-match award in the T20 World Cup final over Pakistan announced his retirement in 2020, but his entry into broadcasting and social media presence has continued to generate buzz. Pathan, in fact, is one of the most vocal former Indian cricketers.
When Pathan met Akram for the first time
Recalling the time when he first spoke to Pathan and gave him some advice, Akram mentioned that the former India all-rounder is active on X (formerly Twitter) and is keen to express exactly how he feels, especially when it comes to Pakistan.
“Irfan met me in 2004 on his first tour to Australia, I was commentating for ESPNStar. He was a big fan. He grew up watching us. I gave him a few tips here and there, but he did well early in his career. His attitude was similar to mine from the beginning. But when players ask you about something, what you tell them is mostly about mentality. Work and everything is fine, because at that point, you have reached that level where you are representing the country. Things like ‘put The wrist and how to dismiss a batsman. When to use variations, when not. So, yeah, it was fun. Irfan is a good boy; He still meets me. It’s one thing for him to keep tweeting against Pakistan, but our fans have no inclination to ignore either,” Akram said on 1 Mint’s podcast.
Pathan enjoyed his bowling against Pakistan, taking 67 wickets from 36 ODIs – 27 in Tests, 34 in ODIs and 6 in T20Is. Pathan also achieved a hat-trick against Pakistan in 2006 in Karachi, dismissing Salman Butt, Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf in the first over.
he He has often spoken out against Pakistan, criticizing cricket and cricketers. In a podcast about a year ago, Pathan talked about how to do this Shahid Afridi has crossed the line While traveling on the same flight in the early stages of his career. He was also vocal around the time of the 2025 Asia Cup, especially after the final, when the drama involving Mohsin Naqvi unfolded and the PCB chief left the field carrying the Asia Cup trophy without handing it over to the winning Indian team.
Moreover, his tweets – “Sunday kaisa raha, padosiyo?” – Whenever India defeats Pakistan, be it in the Asia Cup, last year’s Champions Trophy or the 2024 T20 World Cup before that, it is often received with a pinch of salt across the border.
“India vs Pakistan is just a game”
Akram knows the hype surrounding the India-Pakistan match better than anyone. He has been part of many memorable battles, but as someone who has repeatedly stressed the need to treat this battle as if it were just a game, Akram reiterated his point. The hype surrounding the India-Pakistan match today is as great as it was in the 1990s, largely due to social media. But Akram once again reminded everyone that at the end of the day, it’s just a cricket match.
“People have so much time. Why can’t they understand? It’s just a silly game. Ultimately, it’s just a game. Someone has to win, someone has to lose. Then we move on to the next game. But no, what happened many moons ago still stands. Revenge and everything is 1970. It’s the classic ‘The empty mind is the devil’s workshop, the thought process.’
