His new book Sultan: A Memoir explores Akram’s battle addicted to cocaine after his playing career ended.
Despite retiring from international cricket in 2003 after an 18-year career, Akram continued to commentate and coach around the world. As a result, he began to crave cocaine after he retired in 2009, as an alternative to the adrenaline rush he had experienced in competition.
Akram’s slide into addiction is painted in frank detail by excerpts from his book, published alongside.
Addicted to cocaine and deception
“I was a party animal; I loved to indulge myself; I loved to indulge myself,” he writes in his memoirs. It has been said that the culture of fame in south Asia is all-consuming, seductive, and corrupting at the same time. There are parties that you can go to ten at a time, and some people do go to ten at a time. I have taken a toll from it, and it has taken its toll on me as well. I have become addicted to my devices, and they have become my vices.
In the aftermath of this, I developed a dependency on cocaine. A line was offered to me at a party in England, and my use grew steadily more serious, until I felt I had to use it to function.
“I became agitated as a result of it. My deception was caused by this. It is well known that Huma was often lonely during this period.
Whenever she spoke about moving to Karachi, she talked about being closer to her parents and siblings. There was a certain amount of reluctance on my part. How come? Partly because I liked going to Karachi alone, pretending it was work when it was really about partying. My wallet was later discovered to contain a packet of cocaine, which Huma found out about. She immediately told me that I needed help.
Tired of the secrecy
As I stated earlier, I agreed with you. There was a problem that was getting out of control. There was no way I could control it. It would take one line to become two, two to become four; four would take two to become a gram. The last thing I wanted to do was to go to sleep. I was unable to eat anything because I was sick. My diabetes caused me headaches and mood swings because I became inattentive to it. Some parts of me welcomed the discovery: I had grown tired of the secrecy.”
The doctor he went to rehab for was a total conman who collected money from relatives rather than treating patients, and Akram relapsed.
In spite of my efforts, part of me still smouldered inside about the injustice I had experienced. As a result, my pride was hurt, and my lifestyle continued to entice me. There was a brief moment when I contemplated divorce. Instead of heading to Huma’s daily scrutiny, I headed to the ICC Champions Trophy.”
As a result of Huma’s death in October 2009 from mucormycosis, Akram stopped using cocaine.
My drug problem was cured by Huma’s last selfless, unconscious act. As a result, I have never looked back and I have never thought about going back to that way of life.”
He has since remarried, and he has two sons from his first marriage and a daughter from his second. His interview with ‘Growing Up and Raising Children’ revealed that he wrote the book as a gift to his children.
After being diabetic for 25 years, it was hard to return to everything because I was so familiar with it. I’ve done it for my two sons, ages 25 and 21, and my seven-year-old daughter.
