3 biggest controversies in Shoaib Akhtar's career
Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar is celebrating his 48th birthday today (August 13). Popularly known as The Rawalpindi Express, Akhtar owns the record for the fastest delivery bowled by any bowler in international cricket history.
Back in the 2003 World Cup, Shoaib Akhtar clocked 161.3 kmph on the speedometer while bowling against England's Nick Knight. Akhtar's delivery speed was recorded to be more than 100 mph, establishing him as the fastest bowler in world cricket.
His express pace helped Shoaib achieve enormous success in international cricket. As far as his numbers in the international arena are concerned, Akhtar played 46 Tests, 163 ODIs and 15 T20Is for the Pakistan cricket team from 1997 to 2011.
Shoaib Akhtar picked up 178 Test wickets, 247 wickets in ODIs and 19 wickets in the shortest format of the game. He also played in the inaugural season of the IPL, where he picked up five wickets in three matches for the Kolkata Knight Riders team.
Apart from his express pace and wicket-taking skills, Akhtar was also known for his controversies on and off the cricket field. In this listicle, we will look back at the top three controversies from the Rawalpindi Express' career.
#1 Shoaib Akhtar tests positive for a prohibited substance
Back in 2006, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) suspended fast bowlers Mohammad Asif and Shoaib Akhtar after they tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance named Nandrolone. Both pacers were pulled out of the ICC Champions Trophy 2006 after testing positive.
In fact, former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq also complained about Akhtar's drug abuse but was not reported to the PCB. Akhtar told fans he was innocent and would never cheat to achieve success on the field. However, he failed to prove his innocence during a hearing with the Pakistan Cricket Board Anti-Doping Committee.
#2 Shoaib Akhtar sent home from South Africa ahead of T20 World Cup 2007
South Africa hosted the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007. Shoaib was a part of the squad, but he was sent back home after it was reported that he got into an argument with his teammates Mohammad Asif and Shahid Afridi.
Back then, it was rumored that Akhtar even hit Asif with a bat. It all started when Akhtar compared himself with Imran Khan, only to be ridiculed by Afridi and Asif. The matter escalated quickly, and eventually Akhtar was found to be at fault, leading to a five-match ban.
#3 Shoaib Akhtar accuses PCB of not wanting to see Pakistan team winning
Akhtar retired from international cricket after the 2011 World Cup. A year after retiring, he accused the Pakistan Cricket Board officials of dirty politics and alleged that the higher-ups tried to settle old scores instead of trying to create an atmosphere which helps the team win.
He told Express News:
"It's the truth. Some people in the PCB don't want Pakistan to win. There's too much politics. Our board also becomes the enemy of the player the day he becomes captain of the team. The PCB should take help from former cricketers rather taking revenge or settling old scores."
This statement sparked a massive discussion in Pakistan's cricketing circles.
Akhtar has also started his YouTube channel now, where his controversial statements earn a lot of attention from fans.