Mohammad Akram: 12 points that envelope Pakistan cricket’s ‘disturbed child’

Born September 10, 1974, Mohammad Akram Awan is a Pakistani lanky pacer who made the ball talk on bouncy 22 yards. The bowler who relied more on seam movement, played nine Tests and bagged 17 wickets. In the 23 odd One Day Internationals that he featured in, he managed 19 wickets. The Islamabad-born Akram could not make it big on the international stage as Pakistan then was enriched with stars like Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. A rising Shoaib Akhtar further put an end to his chances. On his 41st birthday, Ankit Banerjee talks of a life, which was enveloped by shades of grey.

1.  Coach

In 2012, he was signed in as the bowling coach of Pakistan and is the current coach of Pakistan A cricket team.

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2.  Excuse me, Warne

In 1998, while playing for Pakistan, Akram lowered his shoulder and made avoidable contact with Shane Warne during the third day of the third Test against Australia, an incident which everybody feels could have been done without. He confessed though in front of the ICC match referee that he did it on purpose.

3.  5-star at ‘home of bounce’

In the year 1999, he bagged a fifer against Australia on a venomously bouncy Perth pitch. He scalped 5 for 138.

4.  Mugged

In the same year, Akram and Saqlain Mushtaq got ‘mugged’ outside the Sandton hotel where they were lodging. In the wake of this incident, Pakistan threatened to walk out of the South African tour.

5.  County call

He played for Essex and Sussex in 2003 and 2004 respectively, as a non-overseas player.

6.  Tampering

In 2004, he was penalised by the England and Wales Cricket Board for ball tampering whilst at Sussex. He did not stay at Sussex after 2004, preferring a three-year contract with Surrey instead.

7.  Hitched

After marrying an Anglo-Pakistani from Walthamstow, he settled in England.

8.  Desire

He professed a desire to play for his adopted country England, but it remained unfulfilled.

9.  Tryst with law

Akram is a qualified lawyer and has a law degree from Gordon College in Rawalpindi.

10.  Talent spotted early

It was former Pakistan opener Rameez Raja, who apparently spotted talent in Akram during a match where the latter was representing Rawalpindi.

11.  Snubbed the offer

Rameez had approached him after the 2003 World Cup debacle to represent Pakistan again but he turned down the offer citing job security and pay as reasons. He wanted an assured proper run in the side as against an uncertain one.

12.  Michael Holding fan

His bowling action was very similar to that of West Indian great Michael Holding. He himself once said that he was a big admirer of the legend and instinctively took to his action, like a fish to water.

(A cricket geek to the tee, Ankit Banerjee smokes and snorts it all day long. The romance with the sport incepted since the 1996 World Cup semi-final. He is a winner of the 2011 edition of the All-India college cricket quiz.)