In a continuation of PP's Pakistani Legends series, Beyond the Boundary focuses on Shoaib Akhtar, controversial, injury-prone, but ever the entertainer.

By Waleed Saleem (November 26, 2012)

Pakistan has produced many world-class fast bowlers who have gone on to become legends including, but not confined to, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Imran Khan. They all had their own unique characteristics that differentiated them from others. In this piece, however, I’m going to talk about the Rawalpindi express Shoaib Akhtar. 

The fastest bowler in the world has always had a soft spot in my heart. I always used to enjoy watching him bowl, maybe even more so then all the legends above (although truth be told, I haven’t seen much of Imran Khan). That long run-up, the wind rushing through his hair and the crowd chanting as he’s running in to bowl - it was a grand spectacle that gave you a real thrill. 

The earliest memory that I can remember of him bowling is in the test match against Australia in Perth in 1999. He was absolutely ripping the ball through on a fast Perth wicket and caused some problems for the likes of Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer. Although he only took one wicket in the Test, it was enjoyable to see Ponting and Langer battling the thunderbolts bowled by Shoaib Akhtar.

Another memory etched deep in my mind is that bouncer to Gary Kirsten in the first Test against South Africa in Lahore in 2003. It was a brutal bowl that made Kirsten bleed, despite him wearing a helmet. Of course there were many other instances where Shoaib has hurt the batsman, but this one is etched in my memory. 

However, my favourite memory of watching Shoaib bowl has to be the 2005 test series, when England came to tour Pakistan. Shoaib was on fire in that series, bamboozling all the English players with not only his quick deliveries, but also his slower ones. In fact it was probably one the best series in his test career. He took 17 wickets in total in the series, way ahead of the second highest wicket-taker Andrew Flintoff. The Rawalpindi Express was particularly phenomenal in Multan, the first test match of the series, which Pakistan won by only 22 runs. 

Shoaib’s career hadn’t been the smoothest though; he’s always been in amongst the controversies. He’s failed drug tests; he’s been involved in ‘beating up’ a team-mate of his, he’s always been a bit carefree, acting first thinking later - he’s always been impulsive. In fact even after retiring he’s been among the controversies (especially the Tendulkar leg-shaking comments). All these actions have given him the image of ‘the bad boy’ of cricket, but that’s what made him Shoaib Akhtar, right?

Apart from controversies, his career has been marked with injuries and probably reduced the amount of matches he could have played in half. He had to have a number of knee surgeries to continue playing cricket. 

Despite all the setbacks, whether in the form of controversies or injuries, the Rawalpindi express kept on coming back. It was his love for the country, the drive to do well for the nation that kept pushing him to the limits. He may have been controversial, but he could give his life for Pakistan. 

Shoaib had an extremely eventful career, but as a fan what would I have wished was different in his career or about him? I would have liked to see him play more matches for Pakistan, particularly in the longer version of the game – 46 Test matches, for a bowler of his calibre far too few and it didn’t do him any justice. One thing I really wished for is that he should have gotten a much better send-off when he decided to retire. The decision to not play him in the 2011 WC semi-final against India ripped me apart as a fan. It was the grandest stage of them all and was perfectly set for Shoaib Akhtar, but team management treated him inadequately, even after all he had done for his country. 

Some things that I wouldn’t change about him are the controversies and his carefree, yet die-hard attitude. After all these elements made him who he is, Shoaib Akhtar wouldn’t be Shoaib Akhtar without the controversies. 

So thank you Shoaib Akhtar for all those memories and entertainment, and may you always remain ‘controversially ours’.

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