DHAKA, May 20, 2020 (BSS)- Pakistan’s legendary fast bowler Wasim Akram
showered praises on Bangladesh for their astonishing improvement in world
cricket.
He indeed was surprised by the giant stride taken by Bangladesh, which now
evolved as a force from a team with occasional flashes of brilliance.
Akram in fact was involved with Bangladesh even before the country got
their Test status.
He was one of few superstars of world cricket who played in Bangladesh’s
domestic league before the Tigers’ elevation as a Test nation.
In a conversation in ‘Tamim Iqbal’s Live Show’ which also featured three
former Bangladesh skippers — Minhajul Abedin Nannu, Akram Khan and Khaled
Masud Pilot — Akram travelled down the memory lane.
“Bangladesh has always been very close to my heart. I have played here
lot-be it domestic cricket or international cricket,” he said during the
conversation which was aired in Tamim’s facebook page and Youtube channel.
“I’ve played with these guys (Akram, Nannu and Masud) a lot of cricket in
domestic and international circuit,” added Akram, who played for domestic
powerhouse Abahani Limited.
“I’ve seen the elevation of Bangladesh’s cricket closely. They were the
team with occasional flashes of brilliance. There was the time when they
produced upset by winning against big teams but they couldn’t beat them on
regular basis,” he continued.
Akram went on saying: “But after 2015 World Cup, they evolved as a great
force and started beating the top guns on regular basis which is what amazed
me most. They are no longer a team you can take lightly.”
Considered as the best left-arm pacer the world has ever seen, Akram said
Bangladesh is now blessed with some good cricketers who can take their game
to another height.
“There are many good players like you (Tamim), Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur
Rahim, Mustafizur Rahman who can take the cricket to another height,” the
Pakistan cricket legend said.
When Akram played for Abahani in 1995, Bangladesh had no cricketing
infrastructure. Still he came here to play, much to the delight of the fans.
Tamim was also keen to know what made Akram interested to play here.
“The first thing what I wanted to see was how Bangladeshis are interested
in cricket. There was no thinking of financial gaining. I came because a few
of Bangladeshi friends invited me to do so and it was impossible to resist
them,” he said, disclosing that he is a big fan of Bengali fish recipe
“Macher Jhol” (fish broth).
During the conversation, Akram also looked back to the memory of their
defeat against Bangladesh in the World Cup 1999 when Tigers secured their
first-ever ODI victory against a Test-playing nation.
He simply said Bangladesh was a better team on the ground on that
particular day.
“It was a very disappointing day for the Pakistan’s view but Bangladesh
played really well on that day. Their slow-medium pace bowlers were
outstanding,” he remarked.