Meant to honour a cricket legend, the life-size statue of Wasim Akram at Niaz Stadium ends up drawing comparisons to Sylvester Stallone, triggering laughter online
June 10, 2025: Pakistan’s cricketing icon Wasim Akram was recently honoured with a life-size statue at Niaz Stadium in Hyderabad, Pakistan — but what was intended as a tribute quickly turned into a trending meme topic.
The statue, which portrays Akram mid-bowling action and donning Pakistan’s iconic 1992 World Cup jersey, was meant to celebrate his legendary contributions to the sport. However, fans were left scratching their heads over the statue’s odd facial resemblance — some even comparing it to Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone, while others wondered if the sculptor had even seen Akram play.
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Social media users flooded platforms with memes, jokes, and Photoshopped edits, making the statue go viral — though not in the way the officials may have hoped.
Wasim Akram looking at this statue 😭😭 https://t.co/uvqocCTfLQ pic.twitter.com/nNDHnAiiUW
— Asad 🇵🇸 (@A_sadkermit) June 5, 2025
Wasim Akram as modelled by Sylvester Stallone https://t.co/ssjpJqjNUE
— AmerCric 🏏 ✍️ (@Amermalik12) June 5, 2025
Wasim Akram’s statue at Hyderabad stadium@wasimakramlive fainted after watching this 🥹 pic.twitter.com/Yzfzt3I1W8
— Raza Hashmey (@papabureau87) June 5, 2025
🏏 Akram: The Legend Behind the Laughs
Despite the statue mishap, Wasim Akram remains one of cricket’s greatest fast bowlers. Representing Pakistan from 1984 to 2003, Akram played 104 Tests, taking 414 wickets, and 256 ODIs, claiming 502 wickets. He was a key player in Pakistan’s 1992 World Cup victory and widely credited for revolutionizing left-arm pace bowling.
Post-retirement, Akram embraced coaching and commentary, famously serving as bowling coach for IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders from 2010 to 2016.
✈️ When SRK Booked a Boeing for Akram’s Team
In a lighter moment recently recalled in an interview with VU Sports, Akram shared an anecdote from IPL 2012. Ahead of a crucial knockout game in Kolkata, he requested team co-owner Shah Rukh Khan to arrange better travel as the players were exhausted.
“I said, ‘Ladke thak jayenge, parso match hai, agar private plane mil jaye…’,” Akram recounted.
“SRK replied, ‘Thak jayenge ladke? Koi problem nahi’ — and within an hour, a full Boeing was arranged.”
While the statue itself may have missed the mark, it’s safe to say Wasim Akram’s contributions to cricket — and his off-field anecdotes — remain unforgettable.
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Wasim Akram Statue, Pakistan Cricket News, Niaz Stadium Hyderabad, Cricket Memes, Sylvester Stallone Lookalike, Akram SRK Story, IPL 2012, Shah Rukh Khan