[WATCH] Throwback to Shoaib Akhtar's fiery spell of 4/13 on his IPL debut for KKR in 2008
Shoaib Akhtar turned a year older on August 13 as the former Pakistani pacer celebrated his 48th birthday.
The speedster was a thrilling performer when on song. However, many would argue that he failed to reach his potential and didn't become the legend he could have.
Akhtar made his international debut in 1997, in a Test against West Indies at Rawalpindi. By the turn of the century, the right-arm fast-bowler became a mainstay of Pakistan's illustrious bowling attack in both red and white-ball cricket.
Unsurprisingly, the whirlwind pacer holds the record for bowling the fastest ball in cricket history (registered) when he clocked 161.3 km/hr (100.2 mph) - in an ODI against England during the 2003 ODI World Cup in South Africa.
Apart from playing for his country, he also took part in the maiden edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008.
The very first edition of the famous T20 league allowed Pakistani players to take part in the tournament, as individuals including Shahid Afridi, Mohammed Amir, Salman Butt, and Mohammad Hafeez plied their trade in the T20 league.
Akhtar, too, was picked up by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), where he played three IPL games, taking five wickets in total at an economy rate of 7.71. While it was a disappointing campaign for KKR, Akhtar made a memorable impact when he wreaked havoc on his IPL debut.
On May 13, 2008, Akhtar made his IPL debut against the Delhi Capitals (formerly known as Delhi Daredevils) at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
The hosts found themselves in trouble as they could only put up a meagre 133/6 in the first innings. On a surface where 133 was never a safe total, Delhi eyed a clear chance of victory.
However, little did they know what was about to hit them. KKR skipper Sourav Ganguly handed the new ball to Shoaib Akhtar, who had a dream start as he dismissed opposition skipper Virender Sehwag on his very second delivery.
You can watch Akhtar's fiery spell below:
In his second over, the rapid pacer sent back Gautam Gambhir for 10. Star batter AB de Villiers was also caught behind off Akhtar's bowling before Manoj Tiwary was trapped in front of the stumps.
Due to his stellar bowling performance, KKR was able to bundle out mighty the Delhi side for 110, thereby registering a victory by 23 runs.
It is pertinent to note that when he delivered his 4/11 spell against Delhi in the IPL, Akhtar was making a comeback after a ban. This made his fiery bowling spell even more special.
Akhtar gave his all during his 14-year-long career for Pakistan
An individual who never shied away from giving his all for his country, Shoaib Akhtar was someone who went on to terrify batters all over the world with his lethal pace, accuracy and pin-point yorkers.
Be it Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting or Sourav Ganguly, almost all the batting legends tasted his fierce medicine.
Shoaib represented Pakistan in 46 Tests, getting 178 wickets at an average of 25.69. His best bowling figures in an innings was 6/11. He also represented his country in 163 ODIs, taking 247 wickets at an average of 24.9, with the best bowling figures of 6/16.
While several controversies did play a part in his career, the 'Rawalpindi Express' always accepted all and faced all the consequences with a courageous heart.