Born in Lahore on June 3, 1966, Akram is a product of the Cathedral School where he learnt the tricks of the trade fast. At 12, he was opening the bowling and batting for his school. At 15, he was captaining the side. The streets of Lahore was where he honed his skills.

With a brisk, eager run-up and whippy action, the left-armer was the discovery of the 1984-85 domestic season. And as so often happens in Pakistan, induction to the national squad came about with a generous slice of luck.

Akram, just 18 and bowling in the nets of the U-19 Pakistan camp, was called upon to bowl to ace Pakistani batsman Javed Miandad, who was seeking some practice. Miandad was impressed with the youngster's ability to move the ball at speed and insisted that young Akram be included in the squad of 14 for a three-day Patron's XI match against the touring New Zealanders at Rawalpindi. The rest, as they say, is history.

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