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Mumbai: Wasim Akram commented on Shoaib Akhtar and his controversial autobiography, regarding the claims made in it, saying that he was a "problem" when he was an active player and remains so in retirement.
Akram also contradicted Shoaib's claims of making Sachin Tendulkar uncomfortable with his speed in the Faisalabad Test in 2006 and also said that some of the other allegations he has made in the book titled 'Controversially Yours' were false.
"I remember one of Sachin's knocks in the Sialkot Test. It was the fourth Test and the wicket had lot of grass, I was 22 and Waqar was 19 and we were very fast," Akram recalled.
"Waqar hit him on his chin and he came back after taking treatment and scored a 50. If a 16-year-old can't be scared, I don't think any batsman can be scared. It hardly matters what Shoaib says," He added.
Akram said that the ever-controversial Akhtar was just trying to sell his book with tall claims. He also denied the allegations that he tried to destroy the Akhtar’s career.
"Whatever the Pakistan Cricket Board says, I am with them. He was a problem when he was in the team and he is a problem when he is out of the team," Akram said. "He knows, I know and the world knows that he was himself responsible for destroying his career. There is a lot to talk but I don't want to humiliate him. There is an unwritten code among players that some facts should not be revealed before the media," he warned.
"You guys (media) will ensure that his book is a bestseller," he said.
Talking about Indian cricket, Akram said Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men should brace up for tough times ahead when they tour Australia later this year: "The Australia tour will be challenging for India and they should expect bouncy wickets," he said.
Akram also advocated the resumption of bilateral cricket ties between India and Pakistan.
"I am in favour of sporting ties between India and Pakistan. If players of these countries do well against each other, they can do well against anyone," he said.
