Wasim Akram Reveals An Incident When A Fuming Viv Richards Called Out Him Of The Dressing Room To Beat Him

Wasim Akram, the former legendary fast bowler, was a magician during his prime. Wasim was one of those select few bowlers who had absolute control over his prodigious skills; so much so that he would literally make the ball talk.

But even the great Wasim Akram had his fair share of brain fade moments, especially early on in his career. And, one such moment happened during the 1988 Barbados Test against the West Indies when the ‘Sultan of Swing’ tried to unsettle the ‘King’ Sir Vivian Richards through verbal volleys.

Akram recently talked at length about the entire incident where he revealed how he was almost beaten up by Vivian Richards during an interaction with Aakash Chopra.

Akram had dismissed Viv Richards in the first innings of the Barbados Test and with just over of the fourth day remaining in West Indies’ second innings, the left-arm fast bowler decided to unsettle Richards by having a go with short-pitch stuff followed by a few words.

“He would have hit me a lot in 1988. He was a muscular guy and I was very skinny. It was the last over of match and I was bowling at good pace. I had realised by then that I have become fast. Viv Richards realised I was a difficult bowler and thought I have a quick-arm action. I bowled a bouncer at him and his cap fell down. Falling of Viv Richards cap was a big deal.” Wasim Akram told Aakash Chopra.

Akram added that Viv warned him of severe ‘repercussions’ if he continued sledding the great man. The fast bowler went to his captain Imran Khan for advice, who asked him to continue bowling bouncers.

Akram did just that and once again followed it up with verbal volleys. He ultimately dismissed the legendary batsman for 39.

“There used to no match referee back then and I went up to him and sledged in him in my broken English. He spitted after staring at me and said don’t do this man. I understood nothing but just the man word. I said ok no worries and went to my captain Imran Khan and said that Richards was saying not to abuse him else he will beat me up. Imran Khan said that don’t worry about that and bowl him bouncers. I bowled him a bouncer again and abused him after he ducked. On the last ball of the day I bowled an in-swinger and he was bowled. I went up to him and good him a good send off, shouted go back and all,” Akram added.

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 Viv Richards was batting with a bat in his hand outside the dressing room: Wasim Akram

Akram won the first part of the battle but little had he realized that Viv meant it when he’d warned him of repercussions. After the end of days play, Akram was informed by one of his teammates that a bare-chested Richards is waiting for him outside the dressing room, with a bat in his hand.

Akram immediately went to his captain Imran Khan, who, to the youngster’s utter shock, refused to indulge in the matter.

“I went back to the dressing room with Imran Khan. In Barbados the dressing of two teams are in front of each other. I was tired and taking off my shoes when a guy told me to come out of the dressing. I asked ‘who is calling me’ and he said you better come out man. When I want out I saw Viv Richards standing without his shirt.” Akram added.

Akram revealed that he eventually went out and ask for forgiveness from the great man, who warned him not to repeat the same act again.

“He was sweating and having his bat in his hand, he also had his pads on. I got scared and ran back to Imran Khan. I told him that Viv Richards was waiting for me with a bat in his hand. Imran Khan told ‘what should I do. It’s your fight, go and handle it’. I said skipper what are you saying, you have developed this good body and telling a skinny guy like me and face him. I went out and told him sorry. I told him that nothing of this sort will happen again and he said you better not, I will kill you. My street smartness worked for me then,” Wasim Akram concluded.

Viv and West Indies eventually had the last laugh as the home side went on to win the Test match by 2 wickets.

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