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Top 10 Astonishing Facts about Shoaib Akhtar

Former Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar during a function in Doha. Pic by Vinod Divakaran www.dohastadiumplusqatar.By Doha Stadium Plus Qatar.

Shoaib Akhtar is a Pakistani former cricketer and commentator. Shoaib was born in August 13, 1975, in Rawalpindi, Punjab province in Pakistan. He was the first bowler to be recorded bowling at 100 miles per hour, a feat achieved twice in his career.

He was nicknamed the “Rawalpindi Express”. Shoaib made his test debut in November 1997 as an opening fast bowler and played his first one-day international three months later.

He has been involved in many controversies during his career., often accused of unsportsmanlike conduct among others.

However, he has some astonishing facts that are explained below; 

1. Shoaib was born into a poor family but made an outstanding performance in games

Shoaib Akhtar had a rough beginning as he was born in Rawalpindi and got his famous Rawalpindi Express nickname.

His journey to become a famous cricketer was not a walk in the park. It was not always smooth sailing.

He was born into a poor family thus making it hard for him to get better laces to play or show his talent. Costumes also were vulnerable to him.

However, despite all these challenges, he maneuvered to become a famous cricketer and commentator.

2. He trained using rocks to gain muscles

Pakistani Cricketer Shoaib Akhtar. Photo By Imran IQBAL from Sialkot, Pakistan.

The young Shoaib Akhtar was inventive. Bowling requires some energy in order to perform efficiently.

Shoaib understood his assignment and for him to develop muscles to bowl fast, he threw heavy bricks down from the top mountains near his home and bowl making rocks picked up off the ground.

The insane practice with heavy bricks made some of his friends think he was going mad. However, in the span of moments, he emerged as one of the fastest bowlers the game had ever seen.

3. Shoaib was the fastest-ever bowler World Cup Delivery

Every game must have an outstanding player who performs very well. This has been portrayed in football, basketball and so like cricket.

Shoaib and Brett Lee were perhaps the fastest bowlers of their generation. They had a fierce yet friendly rivalry over which each of them would bowl faster.

Bowling the fourth over the innings in Pakistans against England in ICC Cricket World Cup 2003, Shoaib did an innocuous delivery on Nick Knights Pad. He set a speed of 161.3 k mph or 100.2 mph barrier in World Cup Cricket.

4. He was a big fan of bike riding as a teenager

It is an obvious thing to venture interest in something else before realizing their future field. Many cases have been reported as one performing a certain game but later changing to another game that makes him or her outstanding.

Shoaib Akhtar is not an exception. Shoaib was a big fan of bike riding as a teenager. He used to ride bikes recklessly on the roads of Punjab.

However, he did not turn to ride bicycles but went to cricket and the game made him an outstanding player.

5. He worked through his career as an injury-prone

Cricketer in action. Picture by By Bahnfrend

Like most express pace bowlers, Shoaib was never without niggles. He felt pain in his knees and niggles every day.

He revealed that he used to crawl and limp while off the field going so far as to say that he couldn’t remember even a single day that he did not have pain in his knees for the last 18 years of his career.

6. Shoaib balanced brawn and brain

Virender Sehwag plays a hook shot as Michael Clarke on Day 2 of the Second Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2010 – 11. Virender Sehwag got out on this shot. By pulkitsinha.

His was brawn brought by his muscles and terrific speed. He once bowled Matthew Hayden a couple of short balls and once he knew he had batsman on the back foot, bowled him with a yorker.

He had two fielders whose job was to observe the batsmen’s footwork and report back to him. Shoaib was also skillful in being unable to dismiss a rampaging Virender Sehwag in one test.

He developed a method of bowling into the stumps and slanting the ball across the batsman. This helped him to get Sehwag and also Sachin Tendulkar out in this manner.

7. Shoaib ardently opposed bowling in nets

Shoaib was ardently opposed to bowling in the nets because even if a bowler gets hit, he would not have to suffer the “humiliation” of going for a boundary.

He said that if the bowler is hit for runs in a match it will hurt and he will be sufficiently motivated to bowl well.

The aversion to net practice did not stop Shoaib from bowling full throttle at his own batsmen.

8. He played for Kolkata Knight Riders

This is the logo for Kolkata Knight Riders for IPL season 2008 – 2011. Picture by Kolkata Knight Riders

The Rawalpindi Express played for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the first season of the IPL. Akhtar bowled a spell of 4/11 against Delhi capitals ( then Delhi Daredevils). It is still one of the best bowling efforts in IPL history.

9. Shoaib Akhtar remained in news primarily for his controversial statements and actions

Akhtar once hit a teammate Mohammad Asif with a bat which led to him being reprimanded by Pakistan Cricket Board ( PCB). The duo of Akhtar and Asif were once shown the way out of the team when they failed a dope test.

Although, the court suspended his five-year ban by the Pakistan Board, and was selected in the 15-man squad for the Twenty Quadrangular Tournament in Canada.

He was also banned for drug scandal after testing positive for the performance-enhancing substance nandrolone.

10. Shoaib Akhtar released Autobiography

In September 2011, a few months after his retirement from international Cricket he released his autobiography ” Controversially Yours”, co-written with Indian social anthropologist and journalist Anshu Durga.

It was met with positive reviews, observers noting the interest of having Shoaibs comments on issues pertaining to the administration of cricket,s from Pakistan and outside.

Post-retirement, he began a YouTube career by starting his own channel, where he gives reviews on matters pertaining to Pakistan Cricket.