When one talks about cricket from the sub-continent one associates it with dominant batsmen and puzzling spinners, but for Pakistan it is different they have had a long list of fast bowlers who have shown their brilliance on the dead tracks of the Indian sub-continent. Bowlers like Imran, Wasim, Waqar and Shoaib. These men have terrorised batsmen all over the world with speed, swing and immaculate control over line and length.
Thus I have come to the conclusion that the two best to play for the country has to be fast bowlers. The players that I have chosen are amongst the greatest in the world. They are Imran khan and Wasim Akram.
Imran started his cricket as a batsmen and later felt the need to help his team in the bowling department. The lone strike bowler in the team he had immense responsibility on his shoulders. Once the reins of captaincy were given to him his workload-increased manifold. His great strength lied in his never give up attitude, and he passed this on to his team members who took his lead and performed as their captain wished. In his early days his swing and speed were hard to comprehend with. He was Pakistan's only bowler to take more than 300 test wickets and in the one dayers he performed the role of an all-rounder. By scoring more than 4000 runs in ODI's and taking 180 wickets he proved to the world that he was good enough to be one of the best. Surely the biggest moment in his career was winning the 92 WC. Winning the world cup at the end of his career was truly a befitting end to the end of a great player's career.
Wasim Akram started his career in Imran's shadow and he trained the young speed merchant in his early days and eventually made the greatest left arm fast bowler the world had ever seen. His secret weapon apart from swing and speed was his ability to use reverse swing and surprise the batsmen with it. He really blossomed after the 92 WC and piled up tons of wickets against his name. Wasim and Waqar took Pakistan cricket to new heights. They were a lethal combination in the early 90's and still are. Wasim is still the only bowler to take more than 400 wickets in both forms of the game and his recent success as a batsman has inducted him into the list of the greatest all rounder ever. His success as a captain cannot be undermined and he was the only captain after Imran to who has lead his team to a world cup final. He is the best-left armour of his time and surely will remain foe long time to come.
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