Wasim Akram's Relentless Battle Against Michael Atherton

Michael Atherton became England captain in 1993 and anchored their batting through a difficult period. Against pace he was technically excellent — still head, weight on front foot, bat close to pad. He had tremendous powers of concentration, famously scoring 185* over six hours against South Africa.

Wasim Akram had mastered reverse swing — the art of making an old ball swing in the opposite direction to expected, at pace. Against right-handed batsmen, his inswinging yorker was virtually unplayable when he was on song.

Pakistan toured England in 1992 and 1996. England toured Pakistan in 1987 and 2000. Whenever the two nations met, the Wasim-Atherton duel was a subplot. Atherton had seen enough of Wasim to understand his methods but understanding and executing counter-measures were different things.

Wasim targeted Atherton with yorkers, reverse-swinging deliveries aimed at his toes, and the occasional lifting ball to test his resolve against pace directed at the body.

Throughout the 1990s, Wasim Akram and Michael Atherton were locked in a sustained personal duel spanning multiple England-Pakistan series. Atherton, known for his impassive concentration and technical correctness, was the ideal target for Wasim's reverse swing — a deliverer who could make the ball do things no other bowler could. Wasim dismissed Atherton more than any other England batsman across their encounters. Yet Atherton also made runs against Wasim, including a famous 99 at Headingley in 1992. The relationship was one of mutual professional respect between a great attacker and a great defender.

“Wasim was the best I faced. He could do things with the ball that defied logic — and when the ball was reversing, there was no answer. You just had to survive.”

“Atherton was the toughest opener I bowled to. He never panicked, never gave you cheap shots. You had to earn his wicket every single time.”

Atherton retired from Test cricket in 2001. Wasim played until 2002. Their rivalry covered nearly a decade of Test cricket. Post-retirement, Atherton became a broadcaster and Wasim a coach and commentator — their mutual respect evident whenever they appeared on panels together.

Atherton consistently named Wasim as the best bowler he faced. Wasim said Atherton was the hardest English batsman to dismiss because his technique was so sound under pressure.