Sunday, January 18, 2009

WASIM AKRAM RATES INDIAN BOWLERS


Former Pakistani great Wasim Akram feels that India has emerged as the strongest team in world cricket. Akram also rated Indian pace spearhead Zaheer Khan as the best bowler in the world. “India have won against Australia at home and away, and beaten England and South Africa," the Gulf News quoted Akram as saying. "I will admit that South Africa are the best only if they do well in India during their tour," he said. One of the finest left-arm pacers in the sport's history, Akram had bagged 414 Test wickets and 502 wickets in one-dayers during his international career. He holds world records for the most number of wickets in ODIs and List A cricket (881), and was one of the pioneers of reverse swing bowling. Asked whom he considered as the world's best bowler, Akram said: "Without doubt Zaheer Khan is the best. He has improved his bowling. He can swing the ball both ways and also get it to reverse swing. He can also bowl close to the wicket, wide of the crease and round the wicket." On Shoaib Malik, who has been given extension as the captain of Pakistan, Akram said, "He has improved a lot. Cricket captaincy is something you learn over the years. You have to learn to handle the media, the senior players and how to act off the field. He has to learn to take advantage of senior players because without their support you cannot go a long way."

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