Wasim Akram is regarded as one of the greatest bowlers to have played the game and former Australian fast bowler Brett Lee shared an anecdote that depicts the greatness of the Pakistan left-arm pacer. Lee, who was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders camp in the IPL, worked under Akram during his stint with the franchise.
Akram claimed 502 ODI wickets during his illustrious career as he was known for his reverse swinging deliveries which troubled the batsmen across the world.
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Lee, himself one of the fastest bowlers to play the game, went down memory lane to share an incident where Akram conspired to dismiss Jacques Kallis in KKR’s net session when other bowler greats Struggling to challenge the all-rounder.
“I have found Jacques Kallis, arguably the greatest cricketer to have played for KKR, is batting at one end, and we are bowling at the centre. I am telling the bowling coach standing behind me – bas wasim akram hota hai!,” Lee said on his YouTube channel Brett Lee TV.
The legendary Australian pacer asked Akram how to bowl against a line Kallis, to which the then KKR coach said, “Try and shape the ball away, you might want to change the position of the seam there.”
Lee recalled that he and other KKR bowlers tried hard to improve Kallis with new ball to new ball, but Kallis was batting with ease and didn’t seem to have any trouble.
He said, ‘I am trying hard to get Kallis out but this guy is going with a bang. I couldn’t get Jacques Kallis out. All our bowlers were battling the new ball on a brand new wicket and Kallis was taking it so easy.
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Lee said that Akram decided to roll arms after seeing Kallis’ mastery in the nets as he told him about his four-ball plan to dismiss the Proteas great.
“He lifts his shoulders, he had sand shoes, no spikes and I ask him, What are you going to do? I’ll take four back in and one away,” recalls Lee Akram Says. “What do I go to? This is simple?”
The Australian pacer further recalled how Kallis showed respect to Akram off a few balls.
“The action started with Kallis showing respect to Akram and he did the same in the following delivery. Then there was a change as Akram patted him on the back but Kallis played it comfortably.
“The seam is a bit tighter now and he rolls the ball back in. Once again, same result, Jacques Kallis flat bat (this),” says Lee.
Akram’s plan was working when he executed his last move and got the ball done by taking the ball away from him.
“Now comes the sucker punch. As he turned back, he looked at me, and said ‘Look at this!’ He swung the ball and did so with the seam position (Lee shows how the seam is now pointing to first slip), and took one straight.
“Nick and gone!”
“And I said, dude! You’re a genius!” Lee said.
“We were bowling all day to get Jacques Kallis out and he did exactly as he said four balls without spikes, with uneven rubbers, and that’s the gist of it,” he said.
Lee further praised Akram and said that he found bowling fun and said that the primary reason behind his greatness was his cricketing mind.
“Akram was such a great bowler because he had it up (Lee pats his head). You don’t often find a bowler who is a great captain and also a great leader. He had all three. Wasim bhai made bowling fun, it made it exciting, he made left-handers cool, a wonderful partner, a great commentator and one of my favorites to watch,” he said.
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