Akram feels it is extremely tough to read Varun off the pitch.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images
Wasim Akram believes that India’s spinners could trouble the Pakistan middle-order when the two sides meet in the Asia Cup on Sunday.
In the marquee clash, India is likely to deploy three spinners, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel. The Pakistan middle-order, comprising the likes of Salman Agha, Hasan Nawaz and Mohammad Haris, could find the going tough, Akram believes.
“India are the favourites,” Akram said in a media interaction organised by Sony Sports Network.
“The problem I see for Pakistan is their middle-order batting versus India’s spinners. You can see off Jasprit Bumrah, but the likes of Varun and Kuldeep could trouble the batters. If a batter tries to read the ball after it has pitched, it means you have no idea what is happening,” Akram said.
The legendary pacer, a veteran of many India-Pakistan matches, spoke about the one from 1986, when Javed Miandad hit Chetan Sharma for a last-ball six to break Indian hearts at the Austral-Asia Cup final.
Akram, who took three wickets in that outing, cheekily stated that he had played a part in Miandad’s heroics. “The great Javed Miandad used my bat. Thank you very much! He didn’t return my bat after that,” Akram laughed and said.
“Nobody knew at the time that you can hit a six off the last ball. Nowadays, it is very normal. In the mid 1980s, you hardly saw a six. It was just singles, twos and maybe a boundary now and then. As a 19-year-old, that match was just unbelievable. It is such a great memory for me. Of course, it was not good for India, or for my buddy, Chetan Sharma. But again, it was just a game of cricket,” Akram elaborated.
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Published – September 13, 2025 08:00 am IST