Wasim Akram reveals he was addicted to 'cocaine'

KARACHI: Pakistan's former Test captain Wasim Akram has revealed his post-retirement cocaine addiction in his upcoming autobiography "Sultan: A Memoir", ESPNcricinfo reported.

"I liked to indulge myself; I liked to party. The culture of fame in South Asia is all-consuming, seductive, and corrupting. You can go to ten parties a night, and some do. And it took its toll on me. My devices turned into vices," he wrote in his book as quoted by the cricket website.

"Worst of all, I developed a dependence on cocaine. It started innocuously enough when I was offered a line at a party in England; my use grew steadily more serious, to the point that I felt I needed it to function.

"It was getting out of hand. I couldn't control it. One line would become two, two would become four; four would become a gram, a gram would become two. I could not sleep. I could not eat. I grew inattentive to my diabetes, which caused me headaches and mood swings. Like a lot of addicts, part of me welcomed discovery: the secrecy had been exhausting," the former captain revealed.

Akram's 18-year-long career ended in 2003. He is still considered one of the greatest fast bowlers Pakistan has ever produced. The left-arm pacer took 414 Test wickets and 502 ODI wickets.

The cricketer-turned-commentator had a long struggle with drug addiction which finally ended after his first wife's demise.

"Huma's last selfless, unconscious act was curing me of my drug problem. That way of life was over, and I have never looked back," he wrote.

Written by Patrick Murphy with the contribution of the cricketer himself, Sultan: A Memoir will be out soon.