'Don't do this, I will kill you' - When Viv Richards gave a strict warning to Wasim Akram

Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the current and former players have become active on social media platforms. Moreover, they have introduced a new trend of live sessions to ease down the mood of their fans in these alarming conditions. Earlier, players like Rohit Sharma, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shoaib Akhtar were involved in the same.

Now, Wasim Akram, the former fast bowler from Pakistan also joined the bandwagon, as he recently interacted with Aakash Chopra. During the session, Akram picked one of his fond memories from his playing days. The 53-year-old former speedster is rated as one of the finest fast bowlers produced by Pakistan in their cricketing history. He holds several accolades mentioned next to his name.

Wasim Akram recalls one of his fond memories from his playing days

In the interaction, he shared a story and said there was a time when Sir Vivian Richards warned to beat him with his bat in 1988. As per Akram, he was bowling the final over of a Test match and the former West Indian batsman was finding it difficult to collect runs against him.

He added the fact that in the same over he bowled a nasty bouncer due to which the helmet of Richards fell down. Afterwards, he sledged him a bit in his broken English. According to Akram, he got a warning from the legendary West Indian batsman at that time but he continued with his sledging. The 53-year-old recited that in the end, his strategy worked as he managed to dismiss Richards on the final delivery of the day.

“He (Richards) would have hit me a lot in 1988. He was a muscular guy and I was very skinny. It was the last over of match and I was bowling at a good pace. I had realised by then that I have become fast. Viv Richards realised I was a difficult bowler and thought I have a quick-arm action. I bowled a bouncer at him and his cap fell down. Falling of Viv Richards cap was a big deal.

“There used to be no match referee back then and I went up to him and sledged in him in my broken English. He spitted after staring at me and said don’t do this man. I understood nothing but just the man word. I said ok no worries and went to my captain Imran Khan and said that Richards was saying not to abuse him else he will beat me up.

Imran Khan said that don’t worry about that and bowl him, bouncers. I bowled him a bouncer again and abused him after he ducked. On the last ball of the day, I bowled an in-swinger and he was bowled. I went up to him and gave him a good send-off, shouted go back and all,” revealed Pakistan’s former great during the interaction with Aakash Chopra on YouTube.

I will kill you: Viv Richards warned Wasim Akram

Afterwards, when he was sitting in the dressing room when a guy asked him to come out. As soon as he went out, he saw Richards standing with the bat in his hand. He quickly ran inside and asked for help from his then skipper, who asked him to solve his matters on his own. Later on, he went and asked for an apology from Sir Vivian Richards for committing such an act on the field.

“I went back to the dressing room with Imran Khan. In Barbados, the dressing of two teams is in front of each other. I was tired and taking off my shoes when a guy told me to come out of the dressing room. When I want out I saw Viv Richards standing without his shirt.

“He (Richards) was sweating and having his bat in his hand, he also had his pads on. I got scared and ran back to Imran Khan. I told him that Viv Richards was waiting for me with a bat in his hand. Imran Khan told ‘what should I do. It’s your fight, go and handle it’. I said skipper what are you saying, you have developed this good body and telling a skinny guy like me and face him. I went out and told him sorry. I told him that nothing of this sort will happen again and he said you better not, I will kill you. My street smartness worked for me then,” concluded Akram.