Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram in his upcoming autobiography, “Sultan: A Memoir,” disclosed his post-retirement cocaine addiction.
According to ESPN Cricinfo, he stated that “I like spoiling myself and going out to parties. In South Asia, the fame culture is all-consuming, alluring, and corrupting. A night can have ten parties and I felt the effects of it.
“The worst part is that I became dependent on cocaine. My use gradually became more serious to the point that I felt I had to use it in order to function after I was offered a line at a party in England. It all seemed innocent enough at the time.
The former captain explained, “I couldn’t control it. One line would turn into two, then into four; four would turn into a gram, and then a gram would turn into two. I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t eat, and I became careless with my diabetes, which gave me headaches and mood swings. Like many addicts, part of me welcomed discovery: the secrecy had been exhausting.
In 2003, Akram’s 18-year career came to an end. He is still regarded as one of Pakistan’s all-time best fast bowlers. The left-arm bowler claimed 502 ODI and 414 Test wickets.
The former cricketer-turned-commentator battled drug addiction for a very long time, but it was only resolved following the death of his first wife.
“Huma’s last selfless deed was to help me overcome my drug abuse. That lifestyle was over, and I haven’t looked back since.”
Sultan: A Memoir is written by Author Patrick Murphy with assistance from the cricketer himself. The book will be published soon.
