‘I was crying, people recognised me at Chennai airport’ – Wasim Akram recalls tragic story about wife’s demise

Wasim Akram. (Photo by Philip Brown/Popperfoto via Getty Images)

Legendary Pakistan pacer Wasim Akram recently revealed an emotional moment involving his wife Huma Akram, who passed away at the age of 42 in 2009 after reportedly developing heart and kidney complications.

During a discussion on his autobiography “Sultan: A Memoir”, the former Pakistan captain shared a heart-rending story from the time when he was taking his wife for treatment. Akram said he was on an air ambulance, travelling to Singapore from Lahore to get his wife treated at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital. However, the ambulance stopped at the Chennai airport for a scheduled refilling.

Talking about the tragic incident, the legendary cricketer disclosed that he did not have an Indian visa when they landed in Chennai. The 56-year-old further revealed that he received help from the officials in Chennai.

“I was flying to Singapore with my late wife and there was a stop in Chennai for refuelling. When we landed, she was unconscious, I was crying and people recognized me at the airport. We didn’t have an Indian visa. We both had Pakistani passports,” Akram told Sportstar.

“The people at the Chennai airport, the security forces, and the customs and immigration officials told me not to worry about the visa and take my wife to the hospital while they sort the visa out. That is something I will never forget, as a cricketer and as a human being,” Akram added.

Akram is the third-highest wicket-taker among seamers in international cricket

Having made his debut in 1984, Akram went on to play for over 19 years for his nation. He played 104 Tests, picking up 414 wickets at an average of 23.62. In ODIs, he has the second-most number of wickets, with 502 at an average of 23.52. The Lahore-born seamer is the third-highest wicket-taker in international cricket among fast bowlers, having scalped 916 wickets at an average of 23.57 in 460 matches.

The highlight of Akram’s career was winning the 1992 World Cup where he finished as the highest wicket-taker, picking up 18 wickets. He was also awarded Player of the Match in the final for picking three wickets and scoring 33 (18) with the bat.