Pakistan’s Wasim Akram felt relief rather than ecstasy on Tuesday after becoming the first player in history to take 500 one-day international wickets.

The 36-year-old left-arm swing bowler, who reached the mark by dismissing Dutch opener Nick Statham in a World Cup Group A match, said: “I was really under pressure last night and, like any youngster, although I am not a youngster, I couldn’t get to sleep.

“But now I’m relaxed and, yes, relieved… It was a feeling more of relief than ecstasy.”

Statham was out for a duck after playing a typically venomous inswinging Wasim delivery back on to his stumps.

“I’m very excited but in the end what matters is that Pakistan should qualify,” added Wasim, who later returned to the attack to take two more wickets and help his side to a 97-run victory.

“I think we are going in the right direction.

“I would like to dedicate this to all the people who have supported me in the last 18 years.”

Wasim, named by Wisden Almanac as the best one-day bowler of all time, mentioned two former Pakistan captains as the biggest influences on his career.

“Imran (Khan) was the main man who helped me, and Javed Miandad,” he said. “Imran and Javed Miandad taught me how important it was to work hard and do it with passion, and I am still doing that.”

Wasim had moved on to 499 victims on Saturday when he had England opener Marcus Trescothick caught by wicketkeeper Rashid Latif and took his tally to 502 by dismissing Dutchmen Klaas Jan van Noortwijk and Jeroen Smits.

He made his Pakistan one-day debut against New Zealand in 1984 and has now played 354 limited-overs internationals, more than any other player in history.

The highlight of his career was winning the man-of-the-match award in Pakistan’s victory over England in the 1992 World Cup final.

Seven years later he captained the side that lost heavily to Australia in the 1999 final at Lord’s. The 2003 World Cup is his fifth appearance in cricket’s showpiece event.

Pakistan captain Waqar Younus is the only other player to take more than 400 one-day international wickets.

“We have won one game out of the three we need to win,” Waqar said. “There’s still a long way to go and yes, there are areas we can improve on.

“We should have got 300 on this pitch, the extras were definitely a worry and we didn’t bowl that well,” he added. “We were perhaps a little lethargic. We’ll have to talk about it.”