Waqar Younis Reacts On Wasim Akram’s Claim To Spoil Anil Kumble’s 10 Wickets Moment
On February 7 in 1999, Kumble produced the bowling performance of a lifetime to grab all 10 wickets in Test innings. Anil Kumble became the second bowler ever to take all 10 wickets in an innings back in 1999 at Delhi against Pakistan.
Six years after the astonishing achievement, Pakistan legend Wasim Akram opened up a can of worms by revealing something about how his teammate. Former Pakistani pace bowler Waqar Younis has defended himself when alleged by his one-time team-mate and the captain Wasim Akram that he (Younis) was trying to deprive Anil Kumble the 10th wicket moment.
Wasim Akram said: “Kumble had got nine wickets and me and Waqar were batting in the crease. Waqar came to me and said ‘how about getting run out?’ so that Kumble does not get his 10th wicket.”
Wasim Akram has said that Waqar Younis had suggested a run out in an attempt to deny Anil Kumble the rare feat of claiming all 10 wickets in a single innings at the Feroze Shah Kotla in 1999. Younis, however, denied that such a conversation took place in Delhi on that historic day.
Reacting to Wasim’s claims, Waqar said, “Akram has a very old habit of telling lies and pulling others, who have never said so. Getting run out intentionally is against the spirit of the game and never ever in my dream I would think so.”
“It would have been a very ugly way of being run out that way and thus depriving Kumble the 10th wicket, which he rightly deserved,” said Waqar.
Younis denied he proposed a run-out. “This never happened!! I think age is catching up with Wasim Bhai. #Not true,” he tweeted.
@wasimakramlive This never happened !! I think age is catching up with Wasim Bhai 😎 #NotTrue. pic.twitter.com/ZK8sdjK64u
— waqar younis (@waqyounis99) February 8, 2017
Akram tweeted back, “Get your facts right mate. And if we are going to go down the “age” road, You know I’ll beat you in that game every time.” However, Akram later deleted the tweet from his account.
In fact, when Kumble grabbed the 9th wicket, India captain Azharuddin had a plan for Kumble to have his 10th wicket.