West Indies cricket great Viv Richards recently named former Pakistan pacer Wasim Akram as the fastest bowler he ever played against.
"One of the quickest deliveries I have ever, ever encountered [was during an ODI in Hobart in 1988], and I believe there was someone upstairs looking after me. I had some hair left then, somewhat of a mini-Afro and this one went by so quickly, I could hear it hitting the wicketkeeper's gloves and I said, Wow, wow. Wasim was a young man, coming on to the scene, and I was heading towards the exit door so I was glad that while he was coming then, I was going," Richards told ESPNCricinfo.
Richards played 121 Tests for West Indies scoring 8540 runs with 24 100s and 45 half-centuries
When Pakistan travelled to the West Indies in 1988, Richards called out Akram for sledging during the Barbados Test,
Akram himself admitted that he was scared for his life upon seeing a shirtless Richards standing with a bat in hand.
"I can remember also that I did say to the individuals, the batsmen in the West Indies team at the time, I said, 'Hey man, good luck to you guys, having to encounter that guy on a regular basis man.' Wasim, he was very, very special. Up to this day, I still see that particular delivery. I have nightmares about it every now and again," the former West Indies captain said.
