Meet the popular Pakistani cricketer, who is hailed as the greatest bowler of all time. He went through the tragic loss of his wife and was linked to a famous Bollywood actress.
Cricket is a sport that is followed passionately all around the world. And the players of the cult game enjoy a God-like stature. One such player is the handsome, Wasim Akram. Former Pakistani cricketer, Wasim Akram is one of the most exceptional bowlers ever in the history of cricket. Tagged as 'The Sultan of Swing', Wasim is one of the most sought-after cricketers in the Pakistani cricket team.
Though Wasim has faced many highs in his career, his personal life saw a very low point when he lost his wife, Huma Mufti. Huma was a psychologist who worked as the Pakistani cricket team’s psychological consultant. The charming Wasim married Huma in 1995, and the duo was blessed with two sons, Tahmoor and Akbar.
Wasim Akram met Huma at a party in Clifton, Karachi, Pakistan. She was about 18, and he was 20 at that time, and during the party, both Huma and Wasim exchanged each other’s numbers. Soon, they started talking, and sometimes, when he visited Karachi, he would meet her. Eventually, they started liking each other. In an interview with actor, Fakhar-E-Alam, Wasim confessed that he used to live in Karachi for three months to meet Huma.
In the same interaction, Wasim revealed that though he and Huma were head-over-heels in love with one another, nobody proposed to each other. During the 1992 World Cup, Huma was studying in London, and to surprise Wasim, she flew down to Australia to meet him. She stayed in Australia for three days, and the duo went for walks and dinners.
One day, while she and Wasim were leaving the hotel to have food, one of her close family friends spotted her and Wasim. Soon, Wasim spoke to his parents, and they spoke to Huma’s parents and their marriage was fixed.
After 14 years of marriage, Huma got sick and was diagnosed with a rare fungal infection. Despite all the efforts, she succumbed to death on October 25, 2009, at Apollo Hospital, Chennai, due to multiple organ failure. It was one of the biggest shocks for Wasim, who tried everything in his power to save his soulmate.
Once, Wasim spoke about Huma’s death in a Pakistani show and recalled her last moments. Talking about the same, Wasim stated that he and Huma were flying to Singapore from Lahore in an air ambulance. They had to land in Chennai for refuelling, and suddenly Huma fell unconscious. Both he and Huma did not have Indian visas, but they still managed to get to Apollo Hospital in Chennai with the help of the Indian authorities. Wasim further stated that Huma was shifted to the ICU but never regained consciousness and passed away after multiple organ failures.
While speaking about his ordeal, Wasim was seen breaking down into tears. When the interviewer asked him about how he broke the news of Huma’s death to his kids, the emotional cricketer stated:
“My kids were 7 and 10, and I was a typical Pakistani dude. I knew they are my boys and I have to love them but didn't know much about them. It was tough, a lot of people helped me afterwards. They were with Huma's friend who is also named Huma. They were with her for 3 days before I called them home. But they didn't understand what happened, they were too young.”
Wasim Akram was once rumoured to be dating former Miss Universe and Bollywood actress, Sushmita Sen. The duo met on the sets of the show, Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena, in 2008. Back then, Waseem was married to his first wife, Huma. However, when Huma left for the heavenly abode in 2009, he and Sushmita came closer.
Soon, rumours were rife that Sushmita and Waseem were planning to get married. After which, Sushmita issued a public statement. Her statement could be read as:
"Hi guys! Been reading about my upcoming wedding with Wasim...ABSOLUTE RUBBISH!!! Goes to show just how irresponsible media can be sometimes. Asim Akram is a friend and will always be one!! He has a wonderful lady in his life. Rumours like these are uncalled for and disrespectful! My beautiful people..when I find 'THE ONE'...you'll be the first to know the benefits of being my Twitter family! Love u all so much!"
In 2011, Wasim met an Australian social acivist, Shaniera Thompson. Eventually, they fell in love and got married in 2013 in an intimate ceremony. The duo had an age difference of 17 years, as Wasim was 47, and Shaniera was 30 at the time of their marriage. The Australian social activist learnt Urdu and converted to Islam to marry Wasim. The duo welcomed their daughter, Aiyla, in 2014.
Despite his personal hardships, Wasim Akram never let his game get affected. He is presently a cricket commentator and coach.
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