Wasim Akram mastered the toughest known art in cricket - swing. More so reverse swing. Today's generation might not understand. It was beauty, grace and thrill combined, ball after ball. If Sachin's straight drive had the power to stop time, so did Akram's swingers. Who can forget the way he set up Dravid during the tour of 1999. Genius.

Sultan brings to life the journey of the world’s greatest left-arm fast bowler. It's a story that needed Akram to drop his guard and he does that. To a certain extent. He talks about his battle with Diabetes, cocaine addiction, ball-tampering, match-fixing and much more. 

In one chapter, he shares an incident where some players of the Pakistan team were arrested but later released for allegedly smoking marijuana during their tour of West Indies in 1993. Autobiographies tend to be cagey. But honesty here is welcome.

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Collaborating with Gideon Haigh is a winning move. He keeps the narrative together to keep you glued to the book. Akram's admiration for his captain, guide and mentor, Imran Khan runs throughout the book. The 1992 WC win was a special moment for Pakistan cricket and so is Akram's evocative description of it. He also stakes a claim of being a successful all-rounder, one which makes for a delightful read. The book sheds light on the cricket culture in Pakistan, which is one of its highlights.

Bowling is a human body-defying activity. And when certain individuals take it a notch higher, you want to know more about it. This is where my major disappointment with the book comes from. It feels like a wasted opportunity to tell us about the intricacies of fast/swing bowling. About the process, action development or how to keep innovating with age and time to stay relevant and menacing.

The book is rich in anecdotes. But I found issues and themes to be disproportionately addressed. Additionally, not all chapters captivate you equally which hampered my reading experience. Despite its flaws, Sultan is a good one-time read. 

A worthy addition to your bookshelf.

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