After triumphing over his battle with drug addiction, Pakistan icon Wasim Akram secured a position in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as the bowling coach for the Kolkata Knight Riders, where he remained for six seasons from 2010 to 2016. During his time there, he encountered a remarkable instance that demonstrated the love, care, and respect KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan had, and continues to have, for his players.

In a conversation with VU Sports, as cited by the Indian Express, Akram reminisced about an occurrence from the 2012 IPL season, where he had made a suggestion to Shah Rukh regarding the potential fatigue of the players since they would arrive at the venue the night before the game. Akram was worried that the weariness might affect the outcome. However, the Bollywood celebrity reassured him and arranged a Boeing within an hour for the complete team.

Akram stated: “I believe this occured during the 2012 IPL season. Our knockout match was in Kolkata, and I recall we were meant to arrive via some location. Shah Rukh Khan was present, so I approached him, ‘Khan saab, ek request hai (Mr Khan, I have a request)’. I expressed, ‘Ladke bade thak jayenge, hum kal pahunchenge, parso match hai. Toh agar ek private plane (The team will get extremely tired. We’ll reach tomorrow, and the match is the day after. If a private plane could be arranged). . . ’ He replied, ‘Thak jayenge ladke? Koi problem nahi (They’ll get tired you say, no problem)’. Within one hour, pura Boeing jahaaz khada tha for the whole team. ”

Later in his autobiography, Akram disclosed how significant the KKR role was for him after enduring time in a drug rehabilitation center in Lahore under "brutal" conditions. He wrote: “Movies create a perception of rehab as a caring, nurturing environment. This facility in Lahore was brutal: a bare building with five cells, a meeting room and a kitchen. ” He continued, “Once out, I attempted to stay calm, to regain my center. Shah Rukh Khan presented me with an appealing job as the bowling coach at Kolkata Knight Riders – my first senior coaching position anywhere. ”

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