00:00Did you know that Vaseem Akram made his ODI debut as a T20 baller?
00:05Yes, you heard it right. The legendary Vaseem Akram's first taste of international cricket
00:10came in a match that looked more like a modern-day T20. It was November 23, 1984. The second ODI
00:17between Pakistan and New Zealand was scheduled to be played at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad.
00:22But rain had other plans. The weather interrupted play, and when the skies finally cleared,
00:28both teams agreed to play a shortened match, just 20 overs per side. Sounds familiar,
00:33almost like a T20 long before T20s were even invented. This match turned into a thrilling
00:39encounter, and a young left-arm fastballer named Vaseem Akram was handed the ball for the very
00:44first time in ODI cricket. No one knew then that this young lad would go on to become one of the
00:51greatest fastballers the world has ever seen. Vaseem Akram started strong,
00:55balling his first three overs with great control and clever variation.
01:00But the real drama was saved for the final over the match. New Zealand needed 21 runs to win from
01:05the last six bowl. Standing tall at the crease was Jeremy Conney. An experienced
01:10campaigner, he went after the rocky baller and smashed four boundaries in the over,
01:14leaving fans on the edge of their seats. With just one ball left, New Zealand needed six runs to win.
01:20The pressure was immense, but the young Vaseem Akram held his nerve. He delivered a tight final ball
01:25and did not let Jeremy Conney finish the job. Pakistan won the match by five runs and a star was
01:31quietly borne. Vaseem Akram finished his ODA debut match with a figure of four over 31 runs,
01:37no wicket. Not the best number, but what mattered most was how he held his nerve under pressure.
01:43Let's go back in time and relive this special moment. The day when Vaseem Akram made his ODA debut
01:49in a match that felt like a T20 international. A true cricketing surprise from the Golden Archives.
01:55The empires for the match are Amanuna Khan, a well-known empire for Pakistan, and somebody
02:19making his debut in international cricket as an empire, Ikram Rabbani. The New Zealand captain,
02:24winning the toss in the morning.
02:54one run right
02:5738 runs of 3 ovals
03:03an asking rate of 12.6
03:11that's a hefty hit, down into the covers, Miyadad will cut it off
03:16two more, 123, 1, 2, 3 for 5
03:26New Zealand
03:32here's to change the bat
03:34because there was a nasty crack when he played that shot
03:38Pakistan after 19 overs were 152
03:43the New Zealand's really fallen behind in the runway
03:48the last over of the match coming up
04:137 down
04:255 deliveries to come
04:2724 required by New Zealand
04:30Pakistan fleet now 23
04:32there are now 15 extras
04:36that's going to go down to deep mid-off
04:45and it's over the line for 4
04:49Mohsen's trying to play a little football with it
04:55so Kony off the mark with a 4
04:57and now 4 deliveries left
05:00138
05:0220 still required
05:0924
05:10April 16
05:1115 extras
05:19that's a wide
05:26139
05:28149
05:43and
05:45129
05:4715
05:4815
05:4915
05:5015
05:5115
05:5215
05:5315
05:5415
05:5515
05:5615
05:5715
05:58Weaved away, down deep mid-wicket, and that's for us, nice kicking stroke from Coney, effortless,
06:12one hundred and forty three, one hundred and forty three.
06:22Fourteen runs now required by New Zealand, three balls to come, swinging the bat like this, like Wasim Akram on his way.
06:34Full toss, and that is dispatched to the mid-wicket boundary for us.
06:43That is the one hundred and forty seven runs on the board now.
06:52Eleven required. Eleven runs left, Pakistan's lead now ten.
07:05That's enough to hit two sixes.
07:20Second last delivery coming up.
07:26And that's going down towards the third man boundary for us.
07:33That's the one hundred and fifty of the New Zealand innings. New Zealand are one hundred and fifty one.
07:51So there's a lot of advice for Wasim Akram at the moment, for syndicate advising him.
08:00Not to bowl a no bowl, not to bowl a wide bowl.
08:07Excitement all around.
08:13One hundred and fifty one for seven New Zealand.
08:20And the captain feels it, the batsmen take a single, and the match is over.
08:25New Zealand one hundred and fifty two have lost by five runs.
08:32Lost by five runs, and full credit to them, it was a big score, it was a big asking rate,
08:38and New Zealand have done exceedingly well.
08:41One hundred and fifty two of twenty hours.
08:44Man of the match, Salim Malik.
08:50Salim Malik, well deserved, man of the match.
08:57First going to present the Will's win bonus in Vaheera Park.
09:10Mr. Shredil, the Special Optimist.
09:13And Salim Malik now going to receive his prize from the cheesecake.
09:18Photographers flick away.
09:24Cricket fans might find it hard to believe, but the legendary Wasim Akram ODI debut felt
09:40like a T20 thriller.
09:41Wasim Akram widely regarded as one of the greatest fastballers in the history of the game.
09:46The match between Pakistan and New Zealand originally scheduled as a 40-hour match, but heavy rain
09:52enforced a major twist.
09:54Once the showers stopped, the contest was cut down to 20 hours per side, turning into an
09:59action-packed encounter much ahead of its time.
10:02Pakistan batted first and posted a competitive total of 157 for five in their 20 hours.
10:08Salim Malik played a classy knock of 41 runs of 34 balls, steadying the innings.
10:13Mansoor Ulai also finished strong with a quick-fire 39-not-out of 29 balls, giving Pakistan late momentum.
10:20In reply, New Zealand fought hard.
10:22John Wright anchored the innings with 55 runs, keeping the chase alive.
10:26Late in the innings, Charmik only turned up the heat, smashing an unbeaten 17 runs of
10:31just seven balls to bring the Kiwis close to an epic chase.
10:35Salim Malik was deservedly named player of the match for his vital contribution with the
10:40bat.
10:41With this victory, Pakistan took a 2-0 lead in the four-match series.
10:44The match, officially ODI No. 277, was officiated by umpires Amanullah Khan and Ikram Rabbani.
10:52Alongside Wasim Akram, Shwee Mohammed also made his ODI debut for Pakistan.
10:57This was not just the beginning of a promising fast-baller.
11:00It was the first chapter in the epic story of Wasim Akram, the Sultan of Swing.
11:05Because sometimes, cricket history is made not with five wicket holes, but the holding
11:10your nerve when it matters most.
11:12This match did not just give us a last-over thriller.
11:15It introduced the cricketing world to a future legend Wasim Akram, who would go on to dominate
11:20world cricket with base swing and the deadly accuracy, had just taken his first steps on
11:25the big stage.
11:26From debut noves to cricketing greatness, this was the beginning of a fast-balling era.
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