Dubai: It was a revelation of sort from the Sultan of swing. Wasim Akram, the legendary left-arm pacer and former skipper of the Pakistan team revealed that he 'hated' his bowling partner Waqar Younis during their playing days.
"We hated each other so much that we were not even on talking terms both on and off the field; but the fact is that Pakistan benefited from our rivalry," remarked Akram, who was here to attend the HSBC Cricket Challenge.
Their rivalry was so intense that "every time Waqar took wickets, I too would too get charged up to do the same," Akram revealed, while adding that it were the opponents who actually suffered from their rivalry.
Akram went on take 916 wickets from Test and one-day matches while Younis had 789 wickets from both forms of the game.
Yes, age has sobered both of them now and Akram admitted that they were good friends now.
About the oncoming Pakistan tour to India, Akram said: "Indians are favourites in India as it is very difficult to get them out on those wickets. Shoaib Akhtar's return to the Pakistan side may have an impact if he can get his rhythm and swing. In the one-day series, both the teams will be evenly balanced; but in the Test series the Indians could be far ahead of Pakistan."
Akram felt that the absence of Inzamam-ul Haq will be another factor in this series. "The vacuum created by Inzamam will be felt greatly during the Indian series. The middle order will feel the pressure of his absence, especially on those flat wickets."
On a positive note, he did point out that it would be an interesting battle between two young rival team captains who will go all out to prove themselves during the India-Pakistan series.
"Both (Shoaib) Malek and (Mahendra Singh) Dhoni have proved to be quick learners of the game. There will be a lot of pressure on Malek in India. Apart from playing good cricket, he will also have to handle the Indian media, and that could put extra pressure on him."
Praise for Lawson
Akram was all praise for Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson. "Lawson is doing a good job. When I met the players a few weeks ago, they seemed happy with their progress."
Was allrounder Abdur Razzaq treated unfairly by the Pakistan selectors? Akram remarked : "Pakistan needed him as a bowler who can bat and not as a batsman who can bowl.But his bowling form had slipped. I hear that he has come back from his retirement, but Razzaq should be selected only if he bowls well in first class cricket."
India's Irfan Pathan came in for praise from Akram. "Pathan is now bowling well. In fact, every second ball that he bowled against Australia was a leg break. But that was on Indian wickets; on Australian wickets he might suffer. He needs to concentrate more on his swing and improve it."
Akram hit out at the rebel cricket series in India. "Rebel league will not do well because most of the retired players are to play in it."
INSIDE STORIES
Rivalries in Pakistan cricket
Pakistan has produced some of the world's greatest cricketers, but the history of their cricket is fraught with tales of rivalries between their top players. Individually they have contributed immensely for the team though they never got along each other.
In the sixties, Abdul Hafeez Kardar, the first captain of Pakistan, could not get along with Haneef Mohammad.
In the Seventies Sarfraz Nawaz and Asif Iqbal were not in good terms. Then in the Eighties, Javed Miandad and Imran Khan were not the best of friends.Later on, Rashid Latif and Saleem Malek too turned enemies.
The latest of the rivalries was between Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif, resulting in Akhtar hitting Asif on his leg with a cricket bat.
