Bumrah has best yorker in world cricket: Wasim Akram
New Delhi, Jan 19: Back in his time, he knew a thing or two about bowling 'toe-crushers' and no wonder Wasim Akram is all praise for Jasprit Bumrah's ability to bowl the "most effective yorker" currently in world cricket.
Bumrah, who played a pivotal role in India's maiden Test series win on Australian soil, has been an 'x' factor in Virat Kohli's set-up.
"Jasprit Bumrah has the best and the most effective yorker among fast bowlers playing international cricket now," Akram told during an interaction.
Arguably the greatest left-arm fast bowler to have ever played the game, Akram believes that Bumrah will make a difference during death overs at this year's World Cup with his 'go to ball'.
"Bumrah has an exceptional action, very different from other fast bowlers and yet he gets the ball to swing and also move off the deck at good pace," Akram said.
"But what makes Bumrah special is his ability to bowl yorkers on a regular basis. Also yorker is not just used for ODIs but for Test matches too as me and Waqar did in our times," the Sultan of Swing said.
A lot of it Akram believes could be attributed to tennis ball cricket, which helps aspiring bowlers perfect their yorkers.
"If you see, whether it's me coming from Pakistan or Bumrah coming from India, we are all products of tennis ball cricket," said Akram, who is a mentor in the upcoming 10PL tennis ball tournament in UAE.
"When you play gully cricket with buildings on both sides and the batsman being deprived of playing cross batted shots on both sides, they are forced to play straight then.
"And then you start pitching it up and in the process learn to bowl at the base and prevent the batsman from going down the ground. You will see a lot of yorkers in 10PL," said Akram.
He was all praise for India, which became the first country from Asia to win a Test series in Australia.
"It's a huge achievement to win a Test series in Australia. I don't subscribe to the view that this is a weakened Australian side. Let's not take away any credit from Virat and his boys. The kind of consistency they have shown is indeed a big deal," said Akram.
Whenever a young talent is discovered in Pakistan, they start comparing him with Kohli, only to fade away like an Umar Akmal.
So why do potential 'Kohli's' of Pakistan fall off the radar, Akram said:"Had we known what the problem is, wouldn't we have addressed the issue?"
"On a serious note, it is Virat's mindset that makes all the difference. When I mean mindset, it also includes off the field preparation also."
The Indian captain's awareness is in a different league, feels Akram.
"Awareness about all the worldly things, what needs to be done to become the best in the world and it's not just about having the perfect technique. It is about having a perfect mindset. He is one of the most popular cricketer in Pakistan," said the owner of 900 plus international wickets.
Akram, who has been the face of 10PL in 2018, expects the tournament to grow with passage of time.
"The organisers have kept 250,000 Dirham (USD 68,00,000) prize money for this tennis ball tournament where as back in 1992, we got USD 40,000 for winning World Cup," Akram said.
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Separate nodal officer in all districts to prevent female foeticides in Karnataka: Minister
Belagavi (PTI): Accepting that the female foeticide has not stopped in the state, Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Tuesday said that the government is taking strict measures to prevent it.
The minister said the government is appointing separate nodal officers in all districts and tightening measures to prevent foeticide, which he called a "social evil".
He also assured that the government will consider strengthening legislation to control such activities.
The minister was responding to a question by BJP MLC C T Ravi in the Legislative Council.
"Female foeticides have certainly not stopped. If you look at the sex ratio, there is a lot of difference. I accept that this is happening," Rao said.
"Foeticides are not happening under pressure; voluntarily, it is happening, for not wanting a girl child. These things are happening based on the sex determination of the foetus at some hospitals. Sex determination is illegal, but with the advancement in technology, portable ultrasound machines have been developed, which can be easily carried anywhere, and scans and tests can be done. This needs to be controlled. We will bring it to the notice of the central government," he said.
In some districts and in a few hospitals, a higher number of male child births is happening. It is found with the help of intelligence input, the minister said.
"Information is being gathered on the taluk in which the male-female ratio is worsening, what is happening in which hospital, and appropriate action is being taken to crack down on such a network, after proper evaluation."
Decoy operations have been done at seven places in the last two years, to identify those involved in illegal activities linked to female foeticides, and actions have been taken against officials and hospitals involved, he said, adding that more needs to be done on priority.
Responding to a question by Ravi about whether any stringent legislation is being brought, Rao said, the government will consider strengthening the legislation and making it stricter to control this.
"Some amendments have been made to the existing laws in the last two years....advanced technology and the internet is being used to carry out such things, also oral medicines for abortions are available over the counter.
We need to look into bringing legislation to control them. The Food and Drug Administration has issued instructions to pharmacists that the sale of such drugs should be documented."
The minister also said that measures are also being taken for the effective implementation of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC & PNDT) Act, and awareness is being created against the identification of female foetuses and female foeticide.
