Former Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram has made a shocking revelation after the defeat against India during the 1996 World Cup quarter-finals. The cricketer turned commentator said that some of his teammates tried to blame him to avoid criticism, making him a scapegoat.
Akram still faces criticism for an incident from 1996, when he missed the World Cup quarter-final against India. For almost 30 years, many have accused him of deliberately skipping knockout matches, but the former Pakistan captain has always maintained that injury prevented him from playing.
I took four injections in the morning – Wasim Akram
Wasim Akram said that he was ruled out of the match against India due to an abdominal muscle injury. He said that he suffered the injury while playing a sweep shot against Dion Nash in the first match against New Zealand and despite treatment from the physio, he could not recover in time for the match against India.
“I sometimes fail to understand his thought process. Our own cricketers had a role to play in this. Everyone who played under me, including our vice-captain, started it.”Akram had said in the show ‘Bataana Hi Padge’,
“‘We must spare the blame, and the ax must fall upon it.’ I took four injections on the morning of the match, but the muscle strain was so bad that you couldn’t bowl. It takes 6-8 weeks to heal,” he said.
Heard him saying ‘Let’s blame it’ – Wasim Akram
Akram revealed that he had heard some of his teammates planning to blame him for the defeat. He said that after the defeat many players stopped talking to him and he overheard 5-6 teammates discussing how to save themselves by putting the responsibility on them.
Akram said, “It is shameful to know that all these former cricketers speak against me. I heard their conversation the night before. No one was talking to me after losing the match.”
“They were scared, and these 5-6 people were sitting in a room. When I was crossing, I heard them saying ‘Ispe dosh daal dete hain dekh lenge kya hoga (Let’s put the blame on him, and we’ll see what happens).”
Wasim Akram as Pakistani captain against India and in India
At the time, there was much less media attention than it is today, but there were rumors that Wasim Akram had deliberately withdrawn from the match. He played three India-Pakistan World Cup matches in 1992, 1999 and 2003.
Akram said that he never thought of leaving his team. He clarified that playing as captain for Pakistan, especially against India, is a matter of pride and he will never shy away from such moments.
“This is no street cricket, boss. Please explain to me. I am playing for Pakistan, and as its captain, against India and in India. Do you really think I will back out at the last minute?” Akram asked.
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