Former West Indies captain Brian Lara has declared Wasim Akram as the fastest and the best bowler he faced during his illustrious 17-year international career.
The left-hander Lara was one of the finest and most elegant looking batsmen of modern time who remains one of the four batsmen of history besides Don Bradman, Virendar Sehwag, and Chris Gayle to score two triple centuries in Tests. His unbeaten 400 against England at Antigua in 2003 still remains the highest individual score ever made in a Test innings.
“I have in mind Courtney Walsh, Curtley Ambrose, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Glenn McGrath, Bret Lee, Alan Donald and Makaya Ntini,” Bacher told him.
Lara immediately responded that it was none other than Pakistan's Wasim Akram.
“Why would you say that,” when asked. Lara replied, “Oh, he was fast and furious. He bowled over and round the wicket, swung the ball both ways, a master of reverse swing and moreover at times he cut the ball prodigiously. His bouncers were fast and slow too and very aggressive when in full flow and very competitive as well.”
Lara said “I never felt in control when facing Wasim because he was always very unpredictable.”
In a career span lasting from 1989 to 2006, Lara who made his Test debut against Pakistan at the Gaddafi Stadium Lahore, scored 11,912 runs for the West Indies at an average of 53.17 in 130 Tests which also included 34 centuries.
