Viv Richards Recalls "One Of The Quickest Deliveries" He Ever Faced, Heaps Praise On Pakistan Legend Wasim Akram

Former West Indies captain Vivian Richards reflected on the pages from his playing days and talked about certain cricketing personalities whom he admired despite getting "nightmares" about their skills "every now and then". Richards mentioned former Pakistan pacer and captain Wasim Akram and explained how the latter was "very very special" ever since his young days in international cricket. Talking to ESPNcricinfo, Richards opened up about his struggles while facing Wasim during the dusk of the former's cricketing career.

Richards mentioned, in particular, a specific delivery that he termed as "one of the quickest" he had ever encountered on a cricketing pitch.

"One of the quickest deliveries I have ever, ever encountered, and I believe there was someone upstairs looking after me. I had some hair left then, somewhat of a mini-Afro and this one went by so quickly, I could hear it hitting the wicketkeeper's gloves and I said, 'Wow, wow.' Wasim was a young man, coming on to the scene, and I was heading towards the exit door so I was glad that while he was coming then, I was going," Richards said.

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The former West Indies all-rounder hilariously mentioned how he was lucky to have been at the end of his career when Wasim emerged on to the international scene, sparing Richards the struggle the bowler would have caused if he had played for a longer duration in international cricket.

"I can remember also that I did say to the individuals, the batsmen in the West Indies team at the time, I said, 'Hey man, good luck to you guys, having to encounter that guy on a regular basis man.' Wasim, he was very, very special. Up to this day, I still see that particular delivery. I have nightmares about it every now and again," he