Published: Dec 06, 2022, 11:22 AM (IST)
Edited: Dec 06, 2022, 11:22 AM (IST)
New Delhi: Former Pakistan pacer Wasim Akram made stunning claims in his new autobiography ‘Sultan: A Memoir’ about how his former bowling partner Waqar Younis was made the captain for the 2003 World Cup that was held in South Africa, at a time when the latter was not meant to be.
In a section of his book, Akram revealed that Waqar made Pakistan captain because of then Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Lieutenant General Tauqir Zia. “Waqar, by then (2003) was not in our best XI. He was made captain because of Tauqir, and Tauqir was a nuisance,” read an excerpt from Akram’s book.
“Shoaib, for example, took it into his head to contact Tauqir directly with a request that he be joined by his own doctor, Tauseef Razzaq,” it added. Akram further went on to accuse former skipper Rashid Latif for being a lobbyist and also caled Aamir Sohail ‘zombie’.
“The lobbyists were at work. In July 2000, Rashid Latif gave an interview to The Sunday Telegraph in which he claimed to have been offered £15,000 to ensure Pakistan were bowled out for under 300 in the 1996 Lord’s Test.
“And who knows? Maybe he had. But had he told me, his captain, at the time? No. Had he reported it to his coach or manager? No. Had he told Qayyum? No. Amazingly, these stories only ever came out when he wanted attention,” the former left-hander pacer wrote in his book.
“I was publicly reinstated as captain for the DMC Trophy in Toronto. The clamour for change was satisfied by a new coach, Wasim Raja, and new selectors: Wasim’s brother Ramiz, Naushad Ali and Abdur Raquib. They recalled, after his tireless lobbying, the zombie figure of Aamir Sohail,” added the the cricket-turned commentator.
