Pakistan cricket legend, the “Sultan of Swing” Wasim Akram, has spoken about former World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan.

 

Speaking on the Stick To Cricket podcast, hosted by Michael Vaughan, Sir Alastair Cook, David Lloyd, and Phil Tufnell, the 59-year-old described Imran Khan as hardworking but not naturally talented.

 

When asked what it was like to play under Imran, Wasim said, "I think whatever I did as a cricketer, off the field, on the field, credit goes to him. He used to give us a lot of confidence. He led from the front. He had a belief in his own ability. He was a hardworking cricketer. I mean, he was the best captain I played under. He used to give confidence to every one of us."

 

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Wasim further added that Imran was not the most naturally gifted cricketer, but his determination to succeed set him apart.

 

"People used to say I'm very naturally talented. Skipper (Imran Khan) wasn't talented. He worked hard. Remember, he changed his bowling action. From 76, exactly. Changing even a little bit of action can take months; it might not happen. But he did change his action. He was so determined," he said.

 

The former fast bowler also revealed that Imran Khan demanded full commitment on the field and did not tolerate laziness.

 

"At times, he used to shout at us because if you were lazy, fair enough. He was tough, but he was tough on the field. You give your 100%. If you don’t do well, he was okay with it," Akram concluded.

 

Wasim Akram made his Pakistan debut in 1984 under Imran Khan’s captaincy. 

 

Imran took the young left-arm seamer under his wing, helping him develop into one of the best bowlers in world cricket. The duo later played a pivotal role in Pakistan’s historic 1992 World Cup triumph.