Fast-bowling legend Wasim Akram on Tuesday hailed Pakistan’s “incredible” Test series win over Australia — their first in 20 years.
Pakistan crushed Australia by 356 runs in the second Test in Abu Dhabi on Monday, taking the two-match series 2-0.
It is the first time Pakistan have beaten the Aussies in a Test series since 1994, when they won 1-0 at home.
Former captain Akram said the win was all the more remarkable because Pakistan were missing a host of key players, including star spinner Saeed Ajmal, suspended over his illegal bowling action.
“This is an incredible win for Pakistan,” Akram, the last captain to lead Pakistan to a Test win in Australia, told AFP.
“Pakistan gave an extraordinary performance, something I had not expected before the series with Saeed Ajmal not there and because of batting weaknesses.”
Ajmal was barely missed as replacement spinners Zulfiqar Babar and leggie Yasir Shah took 26 of the 40 wickets to fall in the two Tests.
“I had thought Australia would be tough to beat but kudos to our players like Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq and spinners that they made Australia look an ordinary team,” said Wasim.
“I had never thought that Pakistan’s batting will perform so consistently, but they did and Younis topped the charts.”
Veteran batsman Younis scored 468 runs in four innings, including a century in each innings in the 221-run win in the first Test in Dubai and an epic 213 in the second.
Skipper Misbah answered critics who regularly attack him for his slow scoring by hitting the fastest half-century in Test history in Abu Dhabi, off just 21 balls.
He went on to equal Viv Richards’ record for fastest century, reaching three figures in 55 balls. – AFP
