X-Factor.

Akram had it in boatloads, Wakar once a while.

Similar Comparison: Kallis arguably had Sachin's #s in Batting - AND Bowling - and probably in fielding too. But people who value X-Factor would pick Sachin the batsman.

To my mind, Akram (my #1 all time bowler) was the surge of emotional electricity that could change the outcome on its head; Waqar was probably the next in line to use that extra nitro.

Examples:

An Akram hattrick in ODI WC that took England from 140?/4 to 140?/7, killing the match.

Pak almost eliminated in another ODI WC in Aus, surviving elimination after being 63 AO against England ... By rain and stupid rules at that time - and then reached the final - only to lose the final by 10 wickets after Aus skittled Pak out for 127.

Listen to Akram's speech in the Post-Match discussions to understand the aura he had.

Another ODI: sri lanka are 244-odd / 5, need 5 or 6 to win in 5 or 6 overs.

Something happened to charge Akram. Got in confrontation with a batsman, and then started bowling with fire.

Didn't get a wicket though - maybe 1 - in his last 2 overs.

So now SL has 4 or 5 overs to get 4 or 5 runs, and no more Akram, with a deep tail that went down to 11, and 4 or 5 wickets in hand.

Rest of Akram's bowlers carried on the charge though - suddenly SL couldn't score a run to save their lives. The match ended up tied in the 50th over with SL AO.

In tests also he produced many moments of brilliance - but most of them didn't go anywhere because the Pakistani fielders were as as lithe as sedated seniors - worse than the memed Watson drop on a Wahab Riaz bouncer.

One of those was Waqar, who later 'confessed' while commentating after retirement - that he believed that bowlers shouldn't have to dive while fielding.