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[VIDEOS] How do you rate Shoaib Akhtar as a bowler?
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Savak
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Shoaib in interviews claims he already had massive wear and tear on his knees by having to bowl an incredible amount of overs in domestic cricket from 1994-97 and it would have been better if he had been fast tracked into the national team directly as he would have directed all his speed, energies for the national team from the beggining
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="und" dir="rtl">میری والدہ محترمہ رضائے الٰہی سے وفات پا گئ ہیں - انا للہ وانا الیہ راجعون۔ <br>نماز جنازہ H-8 میں بعد نماز عصر ادا کی جائے گی۔ <br><br>My mother, my everything, with the will of Allah taala, has left for heavenly abode. <br>Namaz e janaza will be in H-8 after Asar Prayers.</p>— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) <a href="https://twitter.com/shoaib100mph/status/1474837134498430978?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 25, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Imran Muhammad playing in the Oman D20 League copying Shoaib Akhtar's bowling action <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a> <a href="https://t.co/6ZXEa9peYu">pic.twitter.com/6ZXEa9peYu</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/SajSadiqCricket/status/1483523926294765571?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Ab Fan
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Words speak more than action in his case.
Maliq_Mudasir
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Fast and furious !!!!!
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Haanji ready? <br>Warming up about to bowl at <a href="https://twitter.com/llct20?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@llct20</a> <a href="https://t.co/jzPswzpiSW">pic.twitter.com/jzPswzpiSW</a></p>— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) <a href="https://twitter.com/shoaib100mph/status/1484202772572614661?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2022</a></blockquote>
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BunnyRabbit
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When he was at his best, there was no better sight than watching him bowl.
post 2000, only a handful of bowlers have been the ones that I loved watching Shoaib Akhtar, Dale Steyn, Brett Lee. These were almost always a sight to see.
Then there's a second category who were incredible to watch selectively.
Mitchell Johnson(during 2013-14), Mitchell Starc (LOIs 2014-2019), Mohammad Asif (Tests only), Early Kemar Roach(effortless 145kph+ deliveries), Andrew Flintoff(during 2005-06), Shane Bond (Pre 2007)
post 2000, only a handful of bowlers have been the ones that I loved watching Shoaib Akhtar, Dale Steyn, Brett Lee. These were almost always a sight to see.
Then there's a second category who were incredible to watch selectively.
Mitchell Johnson(during 2013-14), Mitchell Starc (LOIs 2014-2019), Mohammad Asif (Tests only), Early Kemar Roach(effortless 145kph+ deliveries), Andrew Flintoff(during 2005-06), Shane Bond (Pre 2007)
Justcrazy
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He was a character , a crowd puller. You need fast bowlers like Akhtar , Brett Lee , Bond , Tait in the game to bring in interest.
We all love to see a fast bowler running in and batsmen shaking , a deadly bouncer , a fearsome yorker wickets flying. Cricket needs these things.
We all love to see a fast bowler running in and batsmen shaking , a deadly bouncer , a fearsome yorker wickets flying. Cricket needs these things.
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Speaking on a podcast recently, Shoaib Akhtar:
“I always used to tell my childhood friends that I am something. But the word from my childhood started from – ‘you can’t do it’. [sic]. The minute I started listening to that, I started getting that kick. That was the kind of environment that I was living in. But I said I will go through the walls.”
“(I) Never wanted to be a fast bowler. But I always believed that I am able to do something because I have energy like nobody. I have the energy of an atom bomb that needs to explode somewhere,” said Shoaib Akhtar while speaking on the podcast.
“I always used to tell my childhood friends that I am something. But the word from my childhood started from – ‘you can’t do it’. [sic]. The minute I started listening to that, I started getting that kick. That was the kind of environment that I was living in. But I said I will go through the walls.”
“(I) Never wanted to be a fast bowler. But I always believed that I am able to do something because I have energy like nobody. I have the energy of an atom bomb that needs to explode somewhere,” said Shoaib Akhtar while speaking on the podcast.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OnThisDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OnThisDay</a> in 2002. Stumps flying everywhere, electrifying pace, as Shoaib Akhtar took career-best Test figures of 6-11 versus New Zealand in Lahore <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a> <a href="https://t.co/bTihrGwtlL">pic.twitter.com/bTihrGwtlL</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/SajSadiqCricket/status/1521398001444564992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Villager6964
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Wow just wow.i m sure he must be a sight to watch during those days.
I wish I had seen him live on TV or in stadium. He was just phenomenal.
Love watching his videos on YouTube or on TV.
I mean look at the pace he bowled 157 ks 158ks it must be amazing to watch him live.
Now people get excited if a bowler hits 150ks
Shoaib Akhtar has been the fastest bowler world cricket has ever seen.No one comes to close to him.
He was a Legend. End of.
Greatness includes substantiality, longevity etc. So he can’t be in that argument with the number of games he played and wickets he took. But Legend status doesn’t require that. Will people be talking about him in folklore in 100 years. 100% yes
You can’t bracket him with Thommo and Andy Roberts either. Shoaib’s strike rate is miles better. Shoaib also played on flatter tracks than either of them.
One point on Longevity though. Many fast bowlers lost their lethality as the years went on. Shoaib never lost that in 13 years of international cricket. His pace lasted all the way through. Maybe a few Ks slower at the end, but still 150k+. That in itself is phenomenal
Greatness includes substantiality, longevity etc. So he can’t be in that argument with the number of games he played and wickets he took. But Legend status doesn’t require that. Will people be talking about him in folklore in 100 years. 100% yes
You can’t bracket him with Thommo and Andy Roberts either. Shoaib’s strike rate is miles better. Shoaib also played on flatter tracks than either of them.
One point on Longevity though. Many fast bowlers lost their lethality as the years went on. Shoaib never lost that in 13 years of international cricket. His pace lasted all the way through. Maybe a few Ks slower at the end, but still 150k+. That in itself is phenomenal
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What makes him a legend?
For exactly the reason in my post. Will people by talking about him in 100 years (assuming the world is still spinning). The answer is yes. Fastest bowler ever, amazing strike rate, highlight reel wicket videos. Even the controversies. Everything about his career was legendary even the
Yes a lot of bowlers who only play 46 tests and take 178 wickets will not be remembered, but he definitely will.
Yes he was very average against Australia in Colombo. Also very average when he was taking 2 5fers in two matches against Australia 2004/5
Also how can I forget. Against Dravid, Tendulkar and co. Very average in Calcutta 1999
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Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has revealed that he used to pull a truck for 4-5 miles as part of his extensive training focused towards breaking the 100 mph barrier in international cricket.
The 'Rawalpindi Express' stated that he even practiced on 26-yard pitches to strengthen his body to take the rigorous workload.
On February 22, 2003, Akhtar bowled the quickest delivery (officially recorded) in international cricket - 161.3 kph (100.23 mph) - against England during the World Cup clash in Cape Town. Former England opener Nick Knight faced the thunderbolt.
Speaking to Sportskeeda, the 46-year-old opened up in detail about how he achieved the record of bowling the fastest ball in international cricket. Admitting that it wasn’t easy or a natural process, Akhtar said:
"When you touch 155 kph as a bowler, remember that you have another 5 kph inside you. However, adding that extra pace to your bowling requires specific training. Before I broke the 100 miles record, I was bowling at speeds of 157-158 kph but I was not able to reach 160. I was a bit baffled over the same, wondering why it was not happening."
The former pacer then decided to undergo strenuous training, which included pulling tires, small vehicles and, eventually, a truck. He recalled:
"I began by running with tires but soon realized that they are light. Next, I started pulling small vehicles with my shoulders. There is less public in Islamabad, so I used to pull vehicles in the night. I used to match its speed with the pace of my run-up. I realized that the vehicle is also small, so I started pulling a truck. I used to pull a truck for 4-5 miles."
For his upper body, Akhtar started high-repetition training and increased the weight of his dumbbells from 10 kg to 20 kg and so on.
Once he was sure that his muscles were ready to take the load, the maverick former cricketer’s next step was practicing on 26-yard wickets instead of the usual 22-yard ones. He explained:
"When I bowled on 26-yard strips, my speed came down to 142-143 kph. But my aim remained to touch 150 kph on 26-yard surfaces. My muscles were in great shape back then and I started bowling with old, worn-out balls. I was aiming to hit the wickets with those old balls."I gradually moved back to bowling with comparatively newer balls. I was playing with the mechanics of the body. This procedure went on for two months and I started hitting 150 kph.”
However, when Akhtar decided to switch back to 22 yards, he faced another roadblock. He revealed:
"Since I had been practicing on 26-yard pitches, my balls were now landing behind the wickets. The body had gotten used to bowling on 26 yards."
The speedster, though, began working hard again and eventually managed to make the desired corrections.
By the time the 2003 World Cup came around, Akhtar was so confident of breaking the 100 mph record that he told his teammates Saqlain Mushtaq and Azhar Mahmood that he was going to do it during the ICC event.
The former Pakistan fast bowler reminiscenced:
"When I bowled in the nets during the 2003 World Cup, batters were telling me - 'you'll kill us, you are bowling so quick. What have you done to increase your speed so much?' I told them that I have trained very hard because I want to break the 100-miles barrier."I told my teammates Saqlain (Mushtaq) and Azhar (Mahmood) that I will break the record in the World Cup."
Akhtar wanted to bowl even quicker after touching the 161.3 kph mark. However, better sense prevailed. He concluded:
"After I touched 161.3 kph, I thought I could bowl even quicker. But then I started getting cracks in my body - in my back, in my hamstring. I thought I would break down and get ruled out of the World Cup, so I left it at that."
Sportskeeda
The 'Rawalpindi Express' stated that he even practiced on 26-yard pitches to strengthen his body to take the rigorous workload.
On February 22, 2003, Akhtar bowled the quickest delivery (officially recorded) in international cricket - 161.3 kph (100.23 mph) - against England during the World Cup clash in Cape Town. Former England opener Nick Knight faced the thunderbolt.
Speaking to Sportskeeda, the 46-year-old opened up in detail about how he achieved the record of bowling the fastest ball in international cricket. Admitting that it wasn’t easy or a natural process, Akhtar said:
"When you touch 155 kph as a bowler, remember that you have another 5 kph inside you. However, adding that extra pace to your bowling requires specific training. Before I broke the 100 miles record, I was bowling at speeds of 157-158 kph but I was not able to reach 160. I was a bit baffled over the same, wondering why it was not happening."
The former pacer then decided to undergo strenuous training, which included pulling tires, small vehicles and, eventually, a truck. He recalled:
"I began by running with tires but soon realized that they are light. Next, I started pulling small vehicles with my shoulders. There is less public in Islamabad, so I used to pull vehicles in the night. I used to match its speed with the pace of my run-up. I realized that the vehicle is also small, so I started pulling a truck. I used to pull a truck for 4-5 miles."
For his upper body, Akhtar started high-repetition training and increased the weight of his dumbbells from 10 kg to 20 kg and so on.
Once he was sure that his muscles were ready to take the load, the maverick former cricketer’s next step was practicing on 26-yard wickets instead of the usual 22-yard ones. He explained:
"When I bowled on 26-yard strips, my speed came down to 142-143 kph. But my aim remained to touch 150 kph on 26-yard surfaces. My muscles were in great shape back then and I started bowling with old, worn-out balls. I was aiming to hit the wickets with those old balls."I gradually moved back to bowling with comparatively newer balls. I was playing with the mechanics of the body. This procedure went on for two months and I started hitting 150 kph.”
However, when Akhtar decided to switch back to 22 yards, he faced another roadblock. He revealed:
"Since I had been practicing on 26-yard pitches, my balls were now landing behind the wickets. The body had gotten used to bowling on 26 yards."
The speedster, though, began working hard again and eventually managed to make the desired corrections.
By the time the 2003 World Cup came around, Akhtar was so confident of breaking the 100 mph record that he told his teammates Saqlain Mushtaq and Azhar Mahmood that he was going to do it during the ICC event.
The former Pakistan fast bowler reminiscenced:
"When I bowled in the nets during the 2003 World Cup, batters were telling me - 'you'll kill us, you are bowling so quick. What have you done to increase your speed so much?' I told them that I have trained very hard because I want to break the 100-miles barrier."I told my teammates Saqlain (Mushtaq) and Azhar (Mahmood) that I will break the record in the World Cup."
Akhtar wanted to bowl even quicker after touching the 161.3 kph mark. However, better sense prevailed. He concluded:
"After I touched 161.3 kph, I thought I could bowl even quicker. But then I started getting cracks in my body - in my back, in my hamstring. I thought I would break down and get ruled out of the World Cup, so I left it at that."
Sportskeeda
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OnThisDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OnThisDay</a> in 2002. An electrifying spell of pace bowling by Shoaib Akhtar in Brisbane. He took 5-25 from 8 overs as Pakistan thrashed Australia by 91 runs <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a> <a href="https://t.co/QequeGLJXP">pic.twitter.com/QequeGLJXP</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/SajSadiqCricket/status/1538527509335224326?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Shoaib Akhtar gave useful tips to cricketers at Pindi stadium after he was invited by Head Coach Saqlain Mushtaq.
Shoaib Akhtar gave useful tips to cricketers at Pindi stadium after he was invited by Head Coach Saqlain Mushtaq.
Hope they are listening. We need to get out of the right areas rubbish they keep getting fed.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Met the boys today at Pindi Cricket stadium today on an invite from Head Coach <a href="https://twitter.com/Saqlain_Mushtaq?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Saqlain_Mushtaq</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/babarazam258?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@babarazam258</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/iShaheenAfridi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@iShaheenAfridi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/HarisRauf14?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HarisRauf14</a>. <a href="https://t.co/J6oar5dfq6">pic.twitter.com/J6oar5dfq6</a></p>— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) <a href="https://twitter.com/shoaib100mph/status/1542565938561658881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 30, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Sunzi
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Pakistani cricket personified.
Nikhil_cric
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From amongst his contemporaries, I'd take only Mcgrath, Walsh, Pollock, Donald, Warne and Murali ahead as test bowlers.
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Happy Birthday to Shoaib
Born: August 13, 1975 (age 47 years), Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Here is an ICC tribute to him
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/e/rym23o" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="100%" allowfullscreen style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;"></iframe></div>
Born: August 13, 1975 (age 47 years), Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Here is an ICC tribute to him
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/e/rym23o" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="100%" allowfullscreen style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;"></iframe></div>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OnThisDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OnThisDay</a> in 1975. Shoaib Akhtar was born in Rawalpindi. Known as the Rawalpindi Express, he played 219 times for Pakistan, taking 438 wickets <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a> <a href="https://t.co/nfXF6Ok52b">pic.twitter.com/nfXF6Ok52b</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/SajSadiqCricket/status/1558369154402603014?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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SpiritOf1903
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Someone that everybody knows about even if they don't watch cricket. Icon!
ElRaja
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legend of the game. people getting excited about rauf bowling 150, shoaib was bowling entire spells above 150 in test matches, apart from lee there is not other comparable to shoaib.
his performance in 2005 against England was crazy, nearly 25mph diff between his quicker and slower yorkers.
his performance in 2005 against England was crazy, nearly 25mph diff between his quicker and slower yorkers.
Mainul
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He may not have 200 plus test wickets,300 plus odi wickets but to me he is a legend. A complete package of fast bowling with a lovable character on the field. I can't find more thrilling to watch bowling action of Shoib other than Waqar . Just eye pleasing adrenaline rushing seeing him run to bowl. He created panic in the best of batsmen of his era.
He is a legend.
He is a legend.
ethan hunt
First Class Captain
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How did this super human have the will power to bowl over 94 mph on these wickets.
I remember him hitting speeds of 156 kph on flat pattas vs india trying to get wickets while the likes of Moyo stat padded.
I remember him hitting speeds of 156 kph on flat pattas vs india trying to get wickets while the likes of Moyo stat padded.
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saqib.rai
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I started watching cricket during the Pakistan-India series in 2004 and have not missed a match ever since. During 2004-2011, I found Shoaib as a decent bowler but not in the category of greats like Steyn and McGrath. However, Shoaib claims he was even better than these 2 mentioned and would have been the greatest ever had he not been injury prone. What is surprising is that the majority of people believe these nonsense claims.
So was Shoaib really that good? If he was, why was he not inducted in the ICC Test or ODI Team of the Year EVEN ONCE from 2004-2011? Why was he not able to win a single ICC tournament or an away Test series in SENA as a player?
I feel he has praised himself so much during interviews without anyone interrupting that people have started to believe made up lies. That's a good strategy for the current cricketers to adopt when they retire.
OR was he really good before 2004? In the initial part of his career (the part of the career that I missed) Let's discuss
So was Shoaib really that good? If he was, why was he not inducted in the ICC Test or ODI Team of the Year EVEN ONCE from 2004-2011? Why was he not able to win a single ICC tournament or an away Test series in SENA as a player?
I feel he has praised himself so much during interviews without anyone interrupting that people have started to believe made up lies. That's a good strategy for the current cricketers to adopt when they retire.
OR was he really good before 2004? In the initial part of his career (the part of the career that I missed) Let's discuss
FearlessRoar
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He can still surprise many batters
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amazed to see his fitness level.. still way better than many current pak players
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