Shoaib Akhtar says would have killed Wasim Akram if he asked to fix matches

Image courtesy: Twitter/Wasim Akram

New Delhi: In a television show of Pakistan, former speedster Shoaib Akhtar on Tuesday (April 21) made a startling claim that he would have taken legendary pacer Wasim Akram's life if the latter made an approach regarding match-fixing, a Cricket Pakistan report. 

Akhtar, who holds the record for bowling the fastest delivery in the history of cricket, is quoted as saying “I was watching few matches of the 1990s and I was amazed to see how Wasim Akram got Pakistan through impossible situations with his brilliant bowling.” 

“I will say it very clearly that if Wasim Akram had asked me to do match-fixing, I would have destroyed him or even kill him. But he never said such a thing to me,” said Akhtar while describing the greatness of Wasim Akram.  

Akhtar played 46 Tests and 163 ODIs for Pakistan, and bagged 178 and 247 wickets respectively, besides taking 19 T20I wickets in 15 appearances.

Thanking Akram for supporting him, during the early days of his cricketing career,  44-year-old Akhtar said, “I played with him for seven to eight years and I can quote many instances where he gave me cover by taking the responsibility of picking up the top-order wickets while leaving the tailenders for me.” 

Akhtar said, “He even let me bowl from my preferred bowling even though he had a lot more wickets that I did,” adding “After watching these old matches, I called him and apologised to for not truly appreciating his greatness while playing with him.” 

Notably, the former speedster played his last international game, an ODI, against New Zealand in 2011, in which he claimed merely one wicket.