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Shoaib Akhtar opens up on his pace bowling secrets
By SMCS - Jan 31, 2022 11:30 am
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Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has given the credit to his atom bomb-like energy for being able to bowl at a fiery pace during his career. The “Rawalpindi Express” has revealed that he never wanted to be a pace bowler but the adrenaline in his body pushed him to become one as well.

Shoaib Akhtar
Shoaib Akhtar

The veteran recently played for the Asia Lions in the Legends League Cricket 2022. During the tournament, Akhtar caught up with former Australia pacer Brett Lee, who was representing the World Giants. In an interaction on The Brett Lee podcast, he went down memory lane and shared some details of his journey to becoming one of the world’s most feared fast bowlers as well.

Shoaib Akhtar revealed: “(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. 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.”

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However, Shoaib Akhtar made his international debut in 1997 and became one of the most destructive pace bowlers. He played 46 Tests, 163 ODIs and 15 T20Is for Pakistan as well. He had a great year in international cricket in 1999 where he claimed 38 wickets in 21 ODIs as well.

Brett Lee
Brett Lee

Reflecting on his memorable performances, the “Rawalpindi Express” elaborated: “During the 1999 World Cup, I felt it was the right stage for me to go at 100 miles (per hour). I did that but not for people but for because I was just loving it. I was flying and that was the only year I was pain free. I could not walk till the age of 6 because of my flat feet. My knee rotates backwards and comes back in there. It hyper-extends backwards. People said (to my mother) your son can’t walk. Before that my brother, his name was Shoaib, he passed away.”

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“People said don’t keep that’s name, he might not survive. It’s a bad omen. But my mother said it’s a prophet’s name. So they kept my name and when I was born, I could not walk. I crawled. Till 10 I used to crumble, was sloppy and clumsy,” Shoaib Akhtar concluded.