Why Pakistan's 1999 Series in India Remains Wasim Akram's Favourite Tour

Former Pakistan cricketer Wasim Akram revealed that their tour of India in 1999 was his favourite one as they got a standing ovation from the crowd in Chennai.

Akram said that while the pressure of India-Pakistan encounters was always there, he enjoyed it in a positive way.

"The 90s we won a lot against India. Nowadays it's a different story. It's the opposite. The tables have turned I suppose. If you talk about tours, I would pick an India tour. 1999 - We toured India after 10 years," Akram told former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson in the 'Lessons Learnt with the Greats' podcast.

"I was the captain. The first Test was in Chennai. I told my boys, if the stadium is quiet then we are doing our job. So we would never get support in India and India would never get support in Pakistan. That was the thing.

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"Saqlain Mushtaq bowled a phenomenal over. The inventor of doosra. We got a standing ovation from the Chennai crowd. That was my favourite tour.

"Then in the second Test (Delhi), the pitch was dug so it had to be relaid. Kumble got 10 wickets. It was really a memorable tour. I used to enjoy Indo-Pak pressure, used to take it in a positive way.

"England and Australia were the places where I wanted to perform. And against India, it was a different reason why I wanted to perform. Because once you perform against India, you get recognised in your country big time. Vice versa for India."

Akram also made the point that today's cricketers spend a lot of time in the gym and they are thus much fitter but that they must not neglect bowling practice at the expense of being fit.

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"I started gymming at the age of 33. Before that, I only used to run and bowl everyday. Cricketers are a lot fitter now. But bowling muscle will only get strengthened when you bowl.

"When I see them exercising in the gym, it doesn't make any sense to me. People might say I am a 90s guy, and I am a 90s guy."