How Virender Sehwag has started a ‘war’ between Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram again

A story, which quotes former Pakistan cricket team player Wasim Akram saying Waqar Younis wanted to stop Anil Kumble from achieving the record by getting run out, was tweeted by Virender Sehwag on Wednesday.

Waqar Younis dismissed Wasim Akram’s claim that the former tried to foil Anil Kumble’s 10 wickets in an innings feat at Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium, New Delhi, in 1999.

Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis were at the crease with Anil Kumble bowling to scalp his tenth wicket during the Test between India cricket team and Pakistan cricket team at Kotla in 1999. (Getty Images)

Virender Sehwag tweeted on Wednesday a snapshot of the story on the 18th anniversary of the feat with a short message: “Kismat ke aage ,all saazish fail. Well done Wasim bhai. What a day it was at the Kotla by Anil bhai.”

The story quoted Akram as saying: “Kumble had got nine wickets and me and Waqar (Younis) were batting in the crease. Waqar came to me and said, ‘How about getting run out?’ so that Kumble does not get his 10th wicket.

“I said ‘You can’t deny him the feat if he is destined for it. But I can assure you that I’m not going to give my wicket to Kumble’,” Akram said. “But subsequently it was me who gifted my wicket to Kumble,’’ he added.

Waqar took to Twitter to deny the incident. “This never happened!! I think age is catching up with Wasim Bhai #NotTrue,” Waqar, the former Pakistan coach, tweeted.

Chasing 420 runs to win the Test, Pakistan were off to a solid start with openers Saeed Anwar and Shahid Afridi adding 101 runs for the opening wicket. But after Afridi fell for 41 to become Kumble’s first victim, Pakistan innings collapsed and eventually folded up for 207 as India won by 212 runs.