Wasim Akram vs Waqar Younis: Head-to-Head Bowling Legends

When it comes to fast bowling, the names of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis immediately come to mind. These two bowlers were exceptional, as they redefined the art of seam and swing bowling. Many young cricketers around the world drew inspiration from them and modeled their bowling accordingly. Both had simple and straightforward actions, yet their deliveries were consistently lethal for batters.

Due to their combination, Pakistan has won many matches on the basis of strong bowling. The art of reverse swing bowling was specifically introduced by these two. Hence they are still followed by many top fast bowlers around the world. Doing a matchup between Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis is difficult because both bowlers had their own class. They complemented each other well by destroying the batting lineups of various oppositions.

In this article, we will try to analyze the records of both Pakistani legends. We will take a look at the Akram vs Waqar bowling comparison in detail, so that you can get an idea of who took the most wickets in test and ODI cricket.  

Wasim Akram Test Bowling Stats

Wasim Akram’s test bowling stats are quite remarkable. He was one of the few bowlers who had complete command over both the new and old ball. Due to this, he was a nightmare for openers, as well as tailenders, in test cricket. In his 104 test matches, he picked 414 wickets at an average of 23.62, which is quite extraordinary by all means.

Metric	Test Cricket
Matches	104
Wickets (total)	414
Bowling Average	23.62
Economy Rate	2.75 runs/over
Strike Rate (balls per wicket)	54.6
Best Bowling in an Innings	7/119
5‑wicket hauls (innings)	25
10‑wicket hauls (match)	5

Wasim Akram ODI Bowling Stats

Just like test cricket, Wasim Akram was equally good in ODIs as well. He became the first Pakistani bowler to take 500 wickets in ODI cricket by playing 356 matches. This is certainly a big feat that is very hard to achieve. However, Wasim Akram’s brilliance made it look easy. His numbers in ODIs are staggering, showcasing why he was one of the most successful bowlers in this format as well.

Metric	One‑Day Internationals (ODI)
Matches	356
Wickets (total)	502
Bowling Average	23.52
Economy Rate	3.89 runs/over
Strike Rate (balls per wicket)	43.3
Best Bowling in an Innings	5/15
5‑wicket hauls (innings)	6

Waqar Younis Test Bowling Stats

Waqar Younis was another Pakistani bowling great who set numerous records in international cricket. He was often called a Yorker specialist because his inswinging deliveries frequently targeted the stumps or the batter’s toes at high pace. This made him a feared opponent, as his reverse swing was particularly lethal. His record in test cricket is phenomenal, as he took 373 wickets in just 87 international matches.

Metric	Test Cricket
Matches	87
Wickets (total)	373
Bowling Average	23.56
Economy Rate	2.75 runs/over
Strike Rate (balls per wicket)	43.4
Best Bowling in an Innings	7/76
5‑wicket hauls (innings)	22
10‑wicket hauls (match)	5

Waqar Younis ODI Bowling Stats

Waqar Younis was a fiery ODI bowler with stunning seam and swing qualities. These traits helped him dismiss various top batters in international cricket. From Brian Lara to Ricky Ponting, Waqar Younis troubled everyone with his exceptional bowling. 

Just like test cricket, his reverse swing in ODIs was also popular, which is why he was Pakistan’s most favored bowler during the death overs. In his 262 ODI matches, he took 416 wickets at an average of 23.84. This is certainly a remarkable feat that describes how special Waqar Younis was in ODI cricket.  

Metric	One‑Day Internationals (ODI)
Matches	262
Wickets (total)	416
Bowling Average	23.84
Economy Rate	4.64 runs/over
Strike Rate (balls per wicket)	36.2
Best Bowling in an Innings	7/36
5‑wicket hauls (innings)	13
Total International Wickets	416

Wasim Akram vs Waqar Younis Head-to-Head Bowling Comparison

Looking at the head-to-head Akram vs Waqar bowling comparison, you won’t find a clear winner. Both players exhibited top-class mastery in fast bowling, which made them different from others. Their combination in ODI and test cricket did wonders for Pakistan, giving the national team many memorable victories in international matches. Here is a quick head-to-head comparison between the legends of fast bowling below.  

Metric	Wasim Akram	Waqar Younis
Test Matches	104	87
Test Wickets (total)	414	373
Test Bowling Average	23.62	23.56
Test Economy Rate	2.59 runs/over	3.25 runs/over
Test Strike Rate (balls per wicket)	54.6	43.4
Best Bowling in a Test Innings	7/119	7/76
5‑wicket hauls in Tests	25	22
10‑wicket hauls in Tests	5	5
ODI Matches	356	262
ODI Wickets (total)	502	416
ODI Bowling Average	23.52	23.84
ODI Economy Rate	3.89 runs/over	4.64 runs/over
ODI Strike Rate (balls per wicket)	36.2	30.5
Best Bowling in an ODI Innings	5/15	7/36
5‑wicket hauls in ODIs	6	13
10‑wicket hauls in ODIs	—	—
Total International Wickets (Test + ODI)	916	789
Notable Milestones	- First Pakistani bowler to 500 ODI wickets	- Youngest to reach 400+ wickets in ODIs for Pakistan

Final Words

It is quite hard to compare Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis in international cricket. Both were exceptional bowlers who gave Pakistan many memorable victories in various bilateral series and ICC tournaments. Their contributions made Pakistan’s bowling attack one of the most feared in the world. 

Therefore, their legacy will always remain strong in world cricket, as they defined the art of swinging the ball both ways with just subtle variations.