Abu Dhabi,: Ajman Titans left-arm pacer Wasim Akram delivered a match-winning performance against Royal Champs on Sunday, claiming impressive figures of 2/7 in his two overs to help secure a seven-wicket victory for his side at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.
The 30-year-old, who shares his name with Pakistani fast bowling legend Wasim Akram, acknowledged both the honour and the pressure. “My father still plays cricket. He was a big fan of Wasim Akram, so he named me after him. Yes, it is a burden. It is such a big name. I just think that even if I fail, it will be a bad name. I just try to take care of this name.”
The bowler confirmed he has met his namesake and received tips from the legend himself, “I was lucky enough to have met him and have received tips from him. I also try to watch his videos and study his bowling.”
Reflecting on his team’s journey in the competition, where they began with two losses but bounced back to win their next two encounters, Akram emphasized the importance of finding the right combination. “I think we found our combination after the first few games. and the result was good. We are winning matches now and if we continue with this, we can win more matches.”
Speaking about his bowling approach on what is widely regarded as a challenging pitch for bowlers in the T10 format, Akram said “If your variation is good and you can execute variation effectively, then there is no problem at all. Whether it is T10 or different formats, I bowl at my hard length, always.”
Akram particularly highlighted the learning environment within the squad. “All of us bowlers, when we play together on the ground, we try to learn from what each other has learned. Zaman Khan’s slower ball is very good. So, I try to learn the slower ball from him as much as I can.”
The bowler also revealed his aspirations to represent the UAE in international cricket. “Yes, I hope to play for UAE. We still have another 3-4 months, but I am hoping to play for UAE once I am eligible.”
