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Change Your Life! |
Akram gets 400 wickets but won’t retire |
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News |
June 20, 2000
COLOMBO (AP) - Pakistan's star all-rounder Wasim Akram, who has became the fourth bowler in test history to complete 400 wickets, has said he was looking forward to playing for another year and a half.
"About two years ago my aim was to get 400 wickets and I have got it by the grace of God," the 34-year-old veteran of 96 tests told Colombo's Daily News on Saturday.
"I think the way I am bowling, the way my fitness is, I can play for another year and a half and see how many wickets I can get."
Akram came into the Colombo test match needing two wickets to reach the milestone, but he had to wait until the Sri Lanka second innings to achieve it.
"It looked like the 400 wickets wasn't going to come soon, but it came at the right time. I didn't have the luck in the first innings, but I believe God almighty wanted me to get some runs and then get the 400 wickets," said Akram.
Akram said that former Pakistan all-rounder Imran Khan had a great positive influence in his cricketing career and that he learned all the techniques and mentality of bowling from him.
Akram also said that coach Javed Miandad and former player Mudassar Nazar had helped him a lot.
Wasim's advice to youngsters was: "At any level of cricket you have to work hard, be focused, and be mentally very tough to go through the rough patches and periods and hang on there. God will then help you".
He said the fast bowling trend was set by Imran Khan. "Then I came and then Waqar (Younis).
The youngsters want to see wickets flying and every youngster in Pakistan wants to be a fast bowler," said Akram.
Pakistan team is playing a three test series in Sri Lanka. The second test starts Wednesday.
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