Test Cricket will always remain

THE REAL CRICKET

by A.C. De Silva

Wasim Akram of Pakistan became the only Test Cricket captain to take two hat-tricks playing against Sri Lanka at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, Pakistan.

In the Asian Test Championship of 1998-1999 Pakistan Captain Wasim Akram became the only Test captain to take a hat-trick when he captured the wicket of Sri Lanka's Kaluwitharana, Bandaratillke and Wickremasinghe in their first innings.

The match ended in a draw and Wasim Akram did not even get the Man of the Match honour.

Eight days late, the two teams met again and Wasim Akram took another hat-trick, taking the wicket of Gunawardene, Vaas and Jayawardene in the second innings, to become the only bowler to do so.

Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram believes Twenty20 Cricket could eventually replace one-day international.

Akram has said the success of the on-going Twenty20 World Cup has the potential to replace the ODIs as the most popular version of the sports.

No challenge to Test Cricket

The Twenty20 World Cup has been a big success in terms of the interest it has evolved and people coming into the grounds. The left-arm pace bowler said he enjoyed watching the Twenty20 matches.

However, he did not third the former could be seem as a challenge to Test Cricket. "Test Cricket will always remain the 'real cricket' for the players and purist fans around the globe. It can never be replaced. - Wasim Akram the advent of one -day internationals didn't affect the popularity and following.

Akram ready to help

Wasim Akram has said that he is ready to help Pakistan cricket in whatever role possible. In the past I have held fast bowing camps for the board. I can do it again." Pakistan has a proud record of producing world class fast bowler including Imran Khan for two decades from the early 1970s then Akram's new ball partner Waqar Younis and in more recent times Shoaib Akhtar.

However they lost two of their best bowlers in Mohamed Asif and Mohammed Amir in 2011 after the duo were banned by the International Cricket Council for spot-fixing during a series in England. Wasim Akram has taken 502 one-day wickets and claimed 414 Test Wickets. He has played 104 tests.

One idea that has struck his mend is to setup a fund, a Wasim Akram best bowling fund.

Wasim has often offered informal, impromptu help to Indian and Pakistani fast bowlers, since he retired from the game in 2003. Often it has had a telling effect, but this is his first official involvement of any kind and it came about at his own prompting.

"It just came up like that. "Wasim, who played a leading role in Pakistan's only World Cup win in 1992, said.