Brian Lara says Wasim Akram made him feel stupid

Brian Charles Lara aka Brian Lara, the gracious left-hander from the ‘Island of the Humming Bird’, Trinidad was among the finest batsmen of his time. His unbeaten 400 against England at Antigua in 2003 still remains the highest individual score ever made in a Test inning. In a career spanning across 1989 to 2006, Lara scored 11,912 runs for the West Indies at an average of 53.17 in 130 Tests, including 34 centuries.

Lara’s fear of Akram

On several occasions, the batsman has revealed that Pakistan’s Wasim Akram was the bowler he feared the most during his times. Appearing on the hit TV series, Brian Lara, upon being asked to choose the best bowler in the world, said, “Wasim Akram. “He always made me feel stupid.”

Previously too, in one of his interviews to Dawn, Lara had spoken about Wasim saying he never felt in control when batting against the legendary fast-bowler. “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. I never felt in control when facing Wasim because he was always very unpredictable,” Lara had said.

One of the greatest pacers of all time

Akram, regarded among the greatest fast bowlers of the game, played from 1985 to 2003, during which he picked 414 Test wickets from 104 games. In 356 ODIs, he took 502 wickets. The 51-year-old made the ball walk and talk like none of his colleagues from those times could. Besides, he came handy with the bat too several times in his career. His 5-56 against New Zealand in 1985, 5 for 38 against West Indies in 1990 and 6 for 62 against Australia the same year, remain few of the best performances by Akram. He is now a cricket commentator and television personality. The Akram-Lara rivalry in those days one of the most talked about in the sport.