Interviews_Wasim_pakistan

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Q: You are a cricketer with the biggest stature in the world today - with Steve Waugh and perhaps Sachin Tendulkar. How does that tag come to you?
A: It has just become a part of life. As long as you work hard, perform well, it will happen. And when people say this or you read about it, I think that's what you work for. In the end you think, 'As a cricketer, as a sportsman, if people are praising you so much then it's worth it.' That's what gives you the extra edge to work even harder.

But has this success come naturally to you? Do you feel any extra pressure because of it?
Not at all, I enjoy it. I enjoy it because I want to finish my cricket when I'm still at the top and I think right now I'm working very hard. My bowling has got back together a bit, so I enjoy it. I think all great cricketers and great sportsmen enjoy their success.

Lot of people are saying that you're playing extra hard because of the Qayyum report, just to prove that you're still good enough and you don't need to do resort to anything outside of the cricket field?
Absolutely. I never did anything and I don't need to do anything. I'm working hard because I want to, I'm working hard because I still have some cricket in me and I'm working hard because I want to satisfy myself. I just want to leave - whenever I do - like I said when I'm at the top and that's very important for me. That's the goal for me.

You have seen the Pakistani side change over the last 10-15 years. Have things really changed in terms of attitude?
Yeah, the attitude has changed a lot. In the last five-six years, the attitude of the team has become more aggressive. Obviously it picked up from Imran (Khan) and I think he's passed it on to the youngsters. We became more positive, more aggressive and moreover really wanting to win over every side. So that's the big change in our side. There were some key players who are not there now, but the confidence is there.

Does having someone like Javed Miandad as coach help? Does it make things easier?
Yeah, especially for the youngsters, it definitely does make things easier. Obviously, a coach can do certain things to some extent, but then, whatever happens it is the job of the captain. Mainly the captain Moin Khan is having fun. I think right now he's doing a great job, leading from the front, motivating the team and the team likes him. I think that's really important for a captain, to be liked by his team.

What do you tell yourself when you are bowling to someone like Sachin Tendulkar or Brian Lara? What's the duel like?
I just think I have to try to get them out, knowing that any bad balls will be punished. But that's a risk I'd like to take. They can hit me for five fours but if they give me their wicket, I'll be much happier. Attack them, hurl bouncers at them, maybe have a go at them verbally� whatever, but try to upset them.

Pakistan has this breed of fast bowlers coming up now? Of them, what do you think of Shoaib Akhtar as he's making quite an impact in the international scene? The way he's shaping up so far?
I think his future is that he has to play. That's where your future lies - it just cannot be based on your reputation. You have to play and you have to perform. Perform means getting wickets and Shoaib should get more wickets. He hasn't got any wickets yet. He's got the potential, he just has to play and work hard on his bowling action. He needs to train twice as much as any average bowler.

Do you think he's (Akhtar) falling prey to the hype that came his way?
Everybody, I think, goes through that phase. Hopefully, he'll come over it, hopefully he'll learn from his mistakes. I think right now he's going through a phase and he'll be over it.

Is it more fun hunting alone as a fast bowler, or hunting in pairs like you did with Waqar Younis for so long?
Bowling in pairs is always fun and more competitive. Your bowling improve, you attack to get more wickets. With Waqar -- I think I had a great time bowling with him and I think we'll all cherish for all our lives the partnership that we had.

There was a rumour lately that you and Waqar had some sort of a problem. Is it true?
Problems are there. I mean if you stay with your wife on a tour for three months, you have a fight with her every second day. So, on a tour you have arguments with each other but after we go home you forget all about it and carry on with our life.

When you spoke to Pakistani players 8-10 years ago (people like you), you always said your mentor was Imran Khan. Now all the youngsters say their mentor is you. Have you consciously slipped into this role or has it just happened?
It just happened. Maybe, I picked up from Imran to help the youngsters because it's fun. I mean, playing at the National level in any sport is all about winning, and while passing your experience to youngsters and wanting them to do well -- instead of really feeling bad and jealous about them - I want them to do well for their own good and tell them how to work hard, when to enjoy and when not to enjoy. And I do it naturally. I may have picked it up from Imran or Javed, or may have been a part of my nature.

Do you enjoy captaincy?
I had a great time. It was an honour for me to captain the Pakistan team, my country's side. But that was great fun, yes. No regrets at all.

And why exactly did you give it up?
I was not enjoying my cricket and I though there is always a time for something. You don't have to linger on for the sake of being there. And right now you can see for yourself, I'm enjoying my cricket. I have more time to myself, to my family. I train a bit extra. I do weights, I have been doing regular weights for two months. And I think we have the right captain now, so everything is in the right place.

Do you think after you left captaincy, Moin could have been the best captain for you personally since you're so close to him?
I've been grooming him for the last couple of years and he is a good learner. He's learnt a lot and that's the sign you see in as leader. He wants to win and wants to do well. And Moin does want to work hard and he's very popular with the side.

There are so many youngsters in the team now. Would it be fair to say that they're slowly forming the nucleus of the Pakistan side?
Absolutely, I think youngsters are the main force. We have Imran Nazir, Shoiab Malik, Abdur Razzaq, Azhar Mahmood and Yousuf Youhana - they are all coming up. So, these are the cricketers who are going to take the Pakistan team ahead in world cricket.

Performance-wise, you are still as lethal as you used to be. But have you ever personally felt, 'Maybe my bowling is slipping - I'm not able to do things which I were able to do'?
Not yet, not right now. But, I've been through it last year when I was in Australia. I could not train at all, I had been suspended for six months and my life had not been easy.

As a batsman, in which innings would you have not liked to face Wasim Akram?
I think it all depends. I mean, I've bowled in spells - I think the best time of my bowling was from 1989 till 1996, I reckon. But I think this season I came back a bit. I worked hard, did a lot of weight training, a lot of running. My pace has got back a bit (laughs); hopefully it will stay for sometime.

From your whole career, if somebody asked you to pick one dismissal, which would you pick?
I think there are a lot of wickets, but one dismissal, which I still remember is Alan Lamb's in the (1992) World Cup final. That was the wicket to remember for me. At that time we played the match of our life.

Where do you see yourself going from here?
I don't know.

You've never thought about it?
Not planned. But I'd like to play cricket for another two years. I just want to hang on, but if I'm performing well I'll stay. And then, what happens� I haven't planned anything yet.

No chance of seeing Wasim Akram, the cricket administrator?
I don't think so. Not on straight away. I'll take some time off, spend some time with my family, try to think, try to tell myself, 'It's finished, it's gone.' It's not easy (retirement) so I have to prepare myself for that.

How about the politician, like Imran Khan?
No idea. I don't think that I'm that sort but anything can happen. If Imran is very much there then I might get in there, but you never know. But right now I've no plans to get into politics.

For the last 10 years, your female following has been increasing tremendously. How does your wife deal with it?
She's quite normal. I mean, she's a very caring partner. She knows what profession I'm in and knowing that they are cricket fans� and I have a lot of female fans, yes I do and I respect them all. Now this has passed on to people like (Shahid) Afridi and Shoaib Akhtar, so it's easier now. They're bachelors and they're good looking people - bold and doing well (smiles) so I think they do deserve all the success.

But how much harder do you have to work on your fitness now?
Lot harder than I had to six-seven years ago. There are some sort of pains in my body (laughs), I've never felt them before. But now, there is lot more training than before.

So, do we see Wasim Akram going to the next World Cup?
Ah, let's see. That's in three years time or two years. I'll see how I go for two years and then if I see I'm not being hammered around and I'm still fit, then I might play the next World Cup. You never know.

I attack with bouncers, verbally... whatever it takes: Akram
Wasim Akram has been the most lethal bowler in the world for over a decade now. He may be shrouded by controversies of late, but his stature can be matched only by a few other cricketers. Akram tells Kunal Pradhan what has kept him and the Pakistan team going for so long....