Top 6 underrated classics

#3 Wasim Akram – 66 versus West Indies, Faisalabad, 1986

Wasim Akram

Pakistan have had a turbulent history in cricket. They have experienced tremendous highs and endured terrible lows. However, perhaps their greatest achievement in Tests remains the fact that they challenged the mighty West Indies team of the 1980s while most other teams were being crushed by the Caribbean juggernaut. When the all-conquering West Indies visited Pakistan in 1986, they would not have expected the contest they got in that series and over the next five years.

In the first Test in Faisalabad, the home team got off to a bad start and were bowled out for just 159 with Imran Khan, their charismatic captain scoring 61. West Indies found the going tough too but managed a lead of 89 runs. In their second innings, Pakistan were quickly under pressure losing the first two wickets with just 19 on the board. A recovery in the middle order was followed by an all too familiar Pakistan collapse. At 218/7, West Indies were clearly in control.

Wasim Akram, who had made his debut only a year earlier, came in at No. 9 and swung the match in Pakistan’s favour by smashing a quickfire 66 off just 82 balls. Against a handy bowling attack of Malcolm Marshall, Patrick Patterson, Tony Gray and Courtney Walsh, Akram held firm.

Together with Imran, Tauseef Ahmed and the injured Salim Malik, he helped Pakistan add more than 100 runs for the last three wickets. West Indies needed 240 to win the match but were stunned by an exceptional display of leg spin bowling by Abdul Qadir, who finished with 6/16. West Indies had been bowled out for 53, which was their lowest ever score. The tourists staged a magnificent comeback in the very next game winning by an innings and leveling the series. However, Akram’s brilliant performance and Pakistan’s fighting spirit was to become a thorn in West Indies’ flesh in the next few years as Pakistan pulled off 1-1 draws in the next two series.