KARACHI, 23 May 2003 — For a cricketer whose 19 years in the business have never been short of many ups and downs nor highs and lows, it is not surprising that Wasim Akram’s retirement announcement on Sunday has raised more questions than given answers.
The timing of his decision to quit international cricket has come as a surprise, especially after insisting just a few weeks ago that he was waiting for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to finally hear his appeal against the match-fixing sanctions imposed on him before making a decision.
“I want to go out gracefully after this stigma of match-fixing sanctions on me is removed. This is a stigma which has been a sore point for me and my family all these years,” Wasim had said from Southampton where he is playing for Hampshire.
So what prompted this charismatic left-arm fast bowler and dashing batsman, who remains one-day cricket’s highest wicket-taker with 502 victims in addition to his impressive 414 Test wickets, to finally call it a day. True, Wasim had hinted throughout the World Cup that he would retire soon, but in the same breath he had always insisted that the timing would be of his choice. Thus the argument that the decision of the Pakistan board and selectors to opt for a new look national side after the World Cup disappointment might have influenced him to retire does not hold much water.
Especially if one is conversant with the chaos and confusion that generally reigns in Pakistan cricket and the manner in which players are dropped and selected. A comeback by someone as experienced and proven as Wasim to the national team sometime later this year is also a distinct possibility.
This when there are talks about Pakistan and India resuming bilateral cricket ties on home soil. Already there is a majority opinion being formed that the selectors would do best to recall outstanding performers like Wasim and Inzamamul Haq for a series against India.
Another reason for this skepticism is what Wasim himself had said few weeks ago on the chances of his being selected again for Pakistan: “You can’t rule out anything in Pakistan cricket. Anything can happen, so you never know.”
Perhaps the clue to Wasim’s decision to retire even before the board heard his appeal against the match-fixing sanctions imposed on him may be found in PCB’s action itself.
Once Wasim got wind that the PCB was dragging its feet on the hearing on advice from the International Cricket Council (ICC) which was asked by the board if it had any objections to the appeal being heard and disposed off.
In reply, the ICC and its anti-corruption unit told the PCB to delay hearing the appeal of Wasim as it was looking into reports that some senior players had met with some known bookmakers during the ICC Knockout Tournament held in Sri Lanka last September.
But for this, the PCB has no reason to delay the hearing as the Lahore High Court had directed it in January to hear the appeal within a month and reach a decision.
Following this directive the board promptly heard Ata-ur-Rehman’s appeal against a life ban. But in Wasim’s case it was not done so. Thus leaving one to guess whether the ICC anti-corruption unit has made any progress in its inquiries into the knockout tournament?
Another factor for this change of heart of Wasim’s part could lie in some sort of an agreement with the board.
Whatever the reason for his sudden retirement, there is no doubt that Wasim was one of the greatest exponents of reverse swing and left-arm swing bowling in the cricket world after World War II.
There is also no doubt he performed some remarkable feats for Pakistan notably his three wickets and 33 runs in the World Cup final of 1992 and his numerous individual records, including being the only bowler to take 50 wickets in World Cup tournaments.His teammate Rashid Latif said in Dambulla, Sri Lanka, that Wasim was among the five greatest cricketers ever produced. Latif ironically was one of the persons who first raised a finger in his direction in the match-fixing scandal.
“I have learned a lot from him in the last two years, believe me. I have never seen a greater bowler than him and I don’t think we will see someone as naturally talented as him for a long time now. It is sad to hear about his retirement. But it was something that was playing on his mind for some time now,” said Latif.
Javed Miandad, who is credited with introducing a raw teenaged Wasim to international cricket in 1984, too expressed his sadness over Wasim’s announcement but added, that every great player had to make such a decision in his lifetime.
“It is better to go when you are remembered as one of the all time greats. I still feel proud that I was the one who pushed him into the Pakistan team. He was one of the greatest finds of Pakistan cricket in the last two decades,” said Miandad.
The sad part is that despite his unquestionable brilliance as a fast bowler and all his cricketing achievements Wasim’s name will unfortunately also be remembered for the wrong reasons.
His checkered career was blotted with the accusation of match-fixing and, then the Justice Malik Qayyum match-fixing commission did not find him above board exactly three years ago. He was also arrested for possession of marijuana in the West Indies when he was captain of the Pakistan team and there have been revolts against him in the team. But amid all this he allowed his cricket to do the talking. Now the question remains, has the cricket world seen the last of this great character to grace the sport?
