Wasim Akram, one of cricket’s greatest fast bowlers, was recently honoured with a life-sized statue in Hyderabad, Pakistan—but the tribute stirred more laughter than admiration. The statue, located outside the Niaz Stadium, was intended as a homage to the legendary left-armer. Instead, it went viral for all the wrong reasons after a meme page on X (formerly Twitter) shared an image of it, triggering a wave of hilarious reactions from fans.
The statue depicts Akram in his 1999 World Cup bowling stride, capturing his iconic slingy action. While the body posture and stance were reasonably well-crafted, the face left many fans puzzled. The frown intended to capture his intensity ended up making him appear unusually sad, and the hairstyle aged the former captain significantly. The resemblance, fans joked, was so off that even Akram might not recognise himself.
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One fan quipped, “Made with 10% cement, 90% disappointment 😂,” while another added, “Even a legend like Wasim Akram might not recognize himself here. DRS Needed 😔.” The backlash echoed the reaction to the much-talked-about Sachin Tendulkar statue at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, which many felt looked more like Steve Smith.
Temu version of Wasim Akram’s statue 😁🤭
After this: Wasim Akram stopped chatting with the lads in the morning.😁 https://t.co/grQTknTRE6— Sidra (@sidzu04) June 6, 2025
Wasim Akram’s illustrious career spanned from 1984 to 2003. He played 104 Tests and 356 ODIs, collecting 414 Test wickets and 502 in ODIs—becoming the first bowler to cross the 500-wicket mark in the 50-over format. He also scored over 6,000 international runs, including a memorable unbeaten 257 in Test cricket.
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A central figure in Pakistan’s 1992 World Cup triumph, Akram featured in four World Cups and captained his country in 25 Tests and 109 ODIs. Post-retirement, he has served as a coach in the IPL and domestic leagues and remains a prominent cricket commentator and broadcaster globally.
