COLOMBO, June 16 (AFP) - Pakistan's star all-rounder Wasim Akram, who became the fourth bowler in Test history to complete 400 wickets on Friday, said he was looking forward to playing for another year and possibly a little more.
"About two years ago my aim was to get 400 wickets and I have got it by the grace of God," said Akram after he dismissed Sri Lanka's Russel Arnold for one on the third day of their first Test here.
"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," said the 34-year-old veteran of 96 Tests.
Akram, who suffered a huge blow last month when he was fined in Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum's report on match fixing, came into the Test match needing two wickets to reach the milestone, but he had to wait until the Sri Lanka second innings to achieve it at the Sinhalese Sports Club grounds here.
"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 400th wicket," said Akram.
The left-handed all-rounder first rescued his team with a defiant knock of 78 in 245 minutes before returning to have Russel Arnold caught by Mohammed Wasim at second slip for his 400th Test wicket.
He said the pitch had definitely been prepared to get a result.
"It is suiting the Sri Lankan bowlers more than ours, especially with (Muthiah) Muralitharan there. He is a world class bowler and he doesn't get tired," he said.
Akram said that former Pakistan all-rounder Imran Khan had a great positive influence in his cricketing career and that Javed Miandad, the present coach, and Mudassar Nazar, a former player, had also helped him a lot. |
