Wasim Akram: India tour of 1999 was one of my favourites

Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has been part of many thrilling India-Pakistan encounters over the course of his career but described the 1999 tour as his most favourite. The legendary left-arm fast bowler said the pressure of playing and winning in India was a truly extraordinary.

Under Wasim Akram’s captaincy, Pakistan won the first Test in Chennai by 12 runs. It was the first time the Pakistan skipper and Waqar Younis were playing against the great Sachin Tendulkar in Tests on Indian soil after his debut in 1989.

“The 90s we won a lot against India. Nowadays it's a different story. It's the opposite. The tables have turned I suppose. If you talk about tours, I would pick an India tour. 1999 – We toured India after 10 years,” Wasim Akram told former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson in ‘Lessons Learnt with the Greats’ podcast.

“I was the captain. The first Test was in Chennai. I told my boys, if the stadium is quiet then we are doing our job. So we would never get support in India and India would never get support in Pakistan. That was the thing,” the 54-year old fast bowling legend said.

We got a standing ovation: Wasim Akram

Tendulkar scored a sensational century in the second innings but off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq bowled Pakistan to a famous win

“Saqlain Mushtaq bowled a phenomenal over. The inventor of doosra. We got a standing ovation from the Chennai crowd. That was my favourite tour,” recalled Wasim Akram.

The two-match Test series though ended in a 1-1 draw as India drew level thanks to Anil Kumble picking up all 10 wickets in the second innings at Ferozeshah Kotla in New Delhi.

"Then in the second Test (Delhi), the pitch was dug so it had to be relaid. Kumble got 10 wickets. It was really a memorable tour.

"I used to enjoy Indo-Pak pressure, used to take it in a positive way," said Wasim Akram.

The former Pakistan great, who picked up 414 Test and 502 ODI wickets in an 18-year-long international career, also picked Sachin Tendulkar recently in his list of top batsmen in the world.

“I am keeping Tendulkar aside from this list because we didn’t play Test cricket against him for 10 years. Waqar and I didn’t bowl to him for ten years in Test matches. He came to Pakistan in 1989 as a 16-year old and after that we played against him in 1999,” Wasim Akram said recently in a YouTube chat show with former teammate Basit Ali.

“I bowled at him at Sharjah in ODIs but Test cricket is different. No doubt he is one of the greats of the game but as a bowler I didn’t bowl to him in my peak and that is why it is difficult for me to judge him,” the Pakistan legend felt.