Virender Sehwag hails Wasim Akram for not allowing Waqar Younis foil Anil Kumble’s perfect 10
Sehwag hails Akram for not allowing Waqar foil Kumble's perfect 10
February 7, 1999. A day, no Indian or Pakistani cricket fan can perhaps ever forget. It was on this day that Anil Kumble became only the second man in the history of Test cricket after Jim Laker to take all 10 wickets in Test innings, against Pakistan in Delhi. His unbelievable feat also handed India a big win — their first over Pakistan in 23 Tests since 1979-80. The then Pakistani captain Wasim Akram was the final wicket to fall. Though he was determined not to become Kumble’s 10th victim, there was nothing he could do since he was destined to become a part of Kumble’s record. Years later, he had an interesting tale to share.
Akram, who was with the last man Waqar Younis in the middle when Pakistan were 9 down, had disclosed many years later that Waqar had some other plans to spoil Kumble’s party. “Kumble had got nine wickets and me and Waqar (Younis) were batting in the crease. Waqar came to me and said ‘How about getting run out?’ so that Kumble does not get his 10th wicket,’ Akram had said. He however disagreed with Waqar and assured him that at least he won’t give away his wicket to Kumble. “I said ‘You can’t deny him the feat if he is destined for it. But I can assure you that I’m not going to give my wicket to Kumble’,” Akram had recalled, before adding, “But subsequently it was me who gifted my wicket to Kumble.”
On Tuesday, 18 years after that historic day, former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag praised Akram for his gesture of not allowing Waqar to get run-out and deny Kumble a perfect-10. He took to his official Twitter handle and shared a screenshot of Akram’s statement regarding that incident with the caption reading: “Kismat ke aage ,all saazish fail. Well done Wasim bhai. What a day it was at the Kotla by Anil bhai.” (sic). It meant all conspiracies fail in front of destiny. Well done brother Wasim. What a day it was for brother Anil at [Feroz Shah] Kotla!
While Waqar conspired to deny Kumble the last wicket, the Indian team on the other hand was united in its effort of earning the 10th wicket for Kumble. The then Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin had apparently instructed pacer Javagal Srinath at the other end to bowl wide of the stumps so that he does not end up taking the final wicket. As a result, he was twice called for wides. But he persisted with his effort and the rest, as they say, is history, as Kumble dismissed Akram and helped India win the Test by 212 runs and level the two-match series 1-1.