Wasim Akram breaks silence on his viral statue at Hyderabad’s Niaz Stadium

KARACHI: Former captain Wasim Akram on Thursday addressed the statue placed outside Hyderabad's Niaz Stadium and the criticism it received from fans, praising the effort and the idea behind its creation.

Wasim’s statue, which depicts the left-arm pacer in his trademark bowling action wearing Pakistan’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 1999 jersey, came under scrutiny after a photo of it went viral on social media. 

The public mocked the sculptor, flooding the internet with memes. The main criticism centered on the statue’s face, which bears little to no resemblance to the legendary cricketer.

Although the statue was unveiled in April 2025, it only grabbed widespread attention earlier today when its image began circulating online, sparking an outcry over how the World Cup-winning player was portrayed.

Sharing his reaction on social media, Wasim took the situation in stride. He posted a picture of his statue alongside a similarly styled lion statue and humorously commented.

"Lots of talk about my sculpture being erected at Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad. Mine is definitely better than the tiger," he said.

He went on to commend those involved in the statue's creation, saying: "It’s the idea that matters. Credit to the creators, full marks for the effort and thanks to everyone involved."

For the unversed, Wasim, who represented Pakistan from 1984 to 2003, took the highest 414 Test wickets and 502 wickets in ODI formats. He is regarded as one of the finest bowlers Pakistan has ever produced.

He also played a pivotal role in Pakistan’s only 50-over World Cup triumph in 1992 as he finished as the leading wicket-taker of the tournament with 18 scalps in 10 innings at an impressive average of 18.77.

He then led the national team to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 1999 final, where they suffered a gruelling defeat against eventual champions Australia.