Overview

• The statue, unveiled in April, portrays Akram in his 1999 World Cup jersey and signature sling bowling action.
• Observers note that the facial sculpting turned his determined look into an unintended grimace and aged him prematurely.
• Thousands of memes have spread on X since early June, with fans comparing the likeness to various pop culture figures.
• Critics recall a similar backlash when Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium unveiled a Tendulkar statue that spectators felt resembled Steve Smith.
• Akram took 414 Test wickets and 502 ODI wickets for Pakistan and now contributes to the sport as a coach and commentator.