Pakistan legend Wasim Akram has recalled his first meeting with former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan and revealed that he once offered the young left-arm pacer some bowling advice.
Akram, widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers in cricket history, met Pathan during India's 2004 tour of Australia, when Akram was working as a commentator. Pathan was then an emerging talent and had already attracted attention for his pace, swing and bowling action, which bore similarities to Akram's.
According to Akram, Pathan was a big fan of Pakistan cricket while growing up and was keen to learn from the former Pakistan captain.
“I gave him a few tips here and there but he did well early on in his career,” Akram said on the 1 Mint podcast.
Akram explained that his advice was less about changing Pathan's bowling action and more about the mental aspects of fast bowling. He discussed areas such as wrist position, reading batters and deciding when to use different variations.
Pathan went on to establish himself as one of India's prominent new-ball bowlers. He played a key role across formats before injuries and the emergence of a new generation of Indian pacers affected his career. He retired from international cricket in 2020.
However, Pathan has remained highly active as a commentator and on social media, where he frequently shares his views on cricket and current issues. Akram jokingly noted that Pathan now often posts comments critical of Pakistan.
“Irfan is a good boy; he still keeps meeting me. It’s a different thing that he keeps tweeting some or the other thing against Pakistan. But we are ready to reply as well,” Akram said.
The former Pakistan captain also spoke about the intense rivalry between India and Pakistan. With social media amplifying the emotions surrounding matches between the two teams, Akram urged fans not to treat cricket as a matter of revenge.
He said that while India-Pakistan games naturally generate huge excitement, the result should ultimately be accepted as part of sport.
“It’s only a game. At the end of the day, it’s just a match. Somebody has to win, somebody has to lose,” Akram said.
Akram also criticised the tendency to carry old results and historical rivalries into present-day matches. In his view, fans and players should move on after each contest rather than allowing past defeats to fuel unnecessary hostility.
His comments offered a lighter perspective on one of cricket's biggest rivalries while also highlighting the unusual journey of Pathan—from being a young Indian bowler who once sought advice from Akram to becoming one of the most outspoken former Indian cricketers on social media.
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