That Wasim Akram was one of the most feared bowlers is well known, but his batting heroics have not received as many plaudits. The Pakistani has a high score of an unbeaten 257 in Test cricket besides scoring six fifties in ODIs.
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He ended with a total of 2,898 runs in the Test format and scored 3,717 runs in 50-over cricket before hanging up his boots. Besides troubling plenty of batters with his reverse-swing, Wasim also was a fine hitter off the ball, which was evident when he smashed West Indies’ Curtly Ambrose for a huge six even after Pakistan had lost two wickets in successive deliveries.
During the fifth game of the Benson and Hedges World Series at Hobart, Windies piled on 244-4 in the allotted 43 overs after being sent in to bat first. The effort was led by a brilliant ton by opener Desmond Haynes, who ended with 101 off 112 deliveries.
In reply, Pakistan lost the first three wickets for just 26 runs before the duo of Javed Miandad and Saleem Malik got together to score 121 for the fifth wicket. The side needed another 98 for a win and looked well set to win the clash before they lost three quick wickets, within the span of just 23 runs.
The team lost two wickets in as many balls with Roger Harper sending back Ijaz Ahmed for 12 off 8 and Ambrose dismissing Miandad for 62 and were in a spot of bother when Wasim walked out to bat.
Instead of playing defensively, he decided to tee off from the get-go, as he flicked Ambrose in the 38th over of the innings for a huge six, much to the dismay of the bowler. Akram eventually ended with a score of 17 off 14 and was dismissed by Winston Benjamin.
Pakistan went on to lose the match by 17 runs and failed to qualify for the summit clash with Australia taking on West Indies in the best of three finals.
