Real King of Swing – IPL 2025’s been a full-on cricket fest, but one story’s grabbed the spotlight – the big comeback of swing bowling. Tagged the “Real King of Swing” this season, pacers have flipped the T20 script, showing that sharp skills and smart plans can still mess with the bat-heavy game. This piece breaks down IPL 2025, with a closer look at how guys like Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood brought swing back in style, plus key moments, team form, and how bowlers are stepping up big in the shortest game.
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Who is the Real King of Swing?
For a bowler, swing bowling is one of the most thrilling skills in cricket. It is a bowler’s most crucial weapon, which makes cricket a competitive sport. The swing is something that can put the quick bowlers into play because the rules and playing conditions favor batters more. To make it on the international scene, a fast bowler needs to master this ability.
Also considered to be among the greatest are bowlers who use a conventional swing with the fresh ball and a reverse swing with the old balls. We shall talk about the King of Swing in cricket in this post, which is also relevant to this subject. Some of the greatest bowlers, also known as the Real King of Swing in history, who dominated the opposition during their careers are on this list.
Why is Wasim Akram known as the King of Swing?
Wasim Akram was one of cricket’s unique stars, and there will never be another bowler like him. His career was a dream, and he pursued it to the fullest. After learning the art of swinging, he became one of the first bowlers to use the reverse swing. That’s why he became renowned as the “Real King of Swing” around the world. He is regarded as the best left-arm fast bowler of all time by great batsmen, and he swung it far. From 1984 to 2003, Akram played 460 matches and took 912 wickets.
Wasim Akram Career Overview
- Matches: 356
- Wickets: 502 (in ODIs!)
- Average: 23.52
- Economy: 3.89
- Best Bowling: 5/15
- Strike Rate: 36.2
Wasim Akram is one of only a handful of bowlers to cross 500 wickets in ODIs. And he did it all with that easy action, late swing, and menacing presence.
Notable Matchups
- vs India: 60 wickets @ 25.15 – always brought the heat in big games.
- vs Australia: 67 wickets @ 27.43 – held his own against one of the toughest sides.
- vs Sri Lanka: 92 wickets – his most vs any team, avg just 20.96!
Performance by Region
- In Asia: 250 wickets @ 23.41
- In Africa: 77 wickets @ 21.40 – very effective on South African surfaces.
- In Oceania (mostly NZ & Aus): 124 wickets @ 22.12 – solid traveler.
But interestingly, Wasim Akram‘s home record (72 wickets @ 31.12) is quite a bit worse than his neutral record (262 wickets @ 21.20) – a man for the big tournaments and pressure games.
Wasim Akram Test Match Records
| Span | Mat | Inns | Overs | Mdns | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Avg | Econ | SR | 5w | 10w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| overview | 1985–2002 | 104 | 181 | 3771.1 | 871 | 9779 | 414 | 7/119 | 11/110 | 23.62 | 2.59 | 54.6 | 25 |
vs Team
| Span | Mat | Inns | Overs | Mdns | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Avg | Econ | SR | 5w | 10w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| vs Australia | 1990–1999 | 13 | 21 | 498.2 | 102 | 1288 | 50 | 6/62 | 11/160 | 25.76 | 2.58 | 59.8 | 4 |
| vs Bangladesh | 2001–2002 | 2 | 3 | 21.4 | 4 | 54 | 0 | – | – | – | 2.49 | – | 0 |
| vs England | 1987–2001 | 18 | 30 | 663.4 | 150 | 1748 | 57 | 6/67 | 9/103 | 30.66 | 2.63 | 69.8 | 2 |
| vs India | 1987–1999 | 12 | 21 | 488.0 | 104 | 1299 | 45 | 5/96 | 7/142 | 28.86 | 2.66 | 65.0 | 2 |
| vs New Zealand | 1985–1995 | 9 | 17 | 421.0 | 106 | 1021 | 60 | 7/119 | 11/179 | 17.01 | 2.42 | 42.1 | 6 |
| vs South Africa | 1995–1998 | 4 | 7 | 141.0 | 35 | 387 | 13 | 4/42 | 5/88 | 29.76 | 2.74 | 65.0 | 0 |
| vs Sri Lanka | 1985–2000 | 19 | 32 | 545.4 | 152 | 1340 | 63 | 5/43 | 8/73 | 21.26 | 2.45 | 51.9 | 3 |
| vs West Indies | 1986–2000 | 17 | 32 | 591.4 | 121 | 1645 | 79 | 6/61 | 11/110 | 20.82 | 2.78 | 44.9 | 4 |
| vs Zimbabwe | 1993–1998 | 10 | 18 | 400.1 | 97 | 997 | 47 | 6/48 | 10/106 | 21.21 | 2.49 | 51.0 | 4 |
Wasim Akram, “King of Swing” Contribution to Cricket
Wasim Akram, often called the “King of Swing”, transformed fast bowling with his unique ability to swing the ball both ways, making him one of cricket’s most iconic figures. His career is a testament to skill, resilience, and innovation.
Akram played 104 Test matches, taking 414 wickets – the most by a Pakistani bowler – and had a batting average of 22.64. His best bowling performance was 7/119 against New Zealand in 1994. In One Day Internationals (ODIs), he played 356 matches, taking 502 wickets, becoming the first bowler to reach the milestone of 500 wickets in ODIs.
He also holds the record for taking the most wickets in the Cricket World Cup; in 1996, he scored an unbeaten 257 against Zimbabwe, the highest score by a number 8 batsman in Test cricket, and hit a record 12 sixes in a Test innings. Akram’s influence extended beyond his playing days. He was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2009 and continues to shape the game as a coach and mentor.
His contribution to cricket was recognised by the Government of Pakistan with the Hilal-e-Imtiaz in 2019. Cricket legend Brian Lara described Akram as “the best bowler I ever saw”, reflecting the immense respect and admiration for Akram in the cricketing world. Akram’s legacy is a blend of artistry and athleticism, inspiring generations of cricketers and fans. His ability to swing the ball with precision and his relentless pursuit of excellence have established him as a true legend of the game.
Also Read – Who Is Real King of Cricket? Virat Kohli or Babar Azam