Shoaib Akhtar is one of those faces in cricket history who will live on in the hearts of cricket fans forever. His aggression on the field and explosive opinion off the field have made him a fan favorite.
Recently, Pakistan’s experienced all-rounder, Shoaib Malik, shared an interesting incident involving the world’s fastest bowler with cricket fans that occurred two days before the famous Test match at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
The right-handed all-rounder narrated that when the Wasim Akram-led side toured India back in 1999, fans were asking for autographs from Shahid Afridi and Azhar Mahmood.
One of the fans, who didn’t know Akhtar, inquired about his name, to which Rawalpindi Express boldly responded. He asked them to wait a few days to know his name, and two days later, he dismissed Sachin Tendulkar on the very first ball.
It is worth noting that during the first Test, Akhtar bowled Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar, two of the greatest batters of all time, off consecutive deliveries, making him an overnight sensation in international cricket.
After playing for Pakistan in 46 Test matches, 163 ODIs, and 15 T20Is and taking 178, 247, and 19 wickets, respectively, the fastest bowler in the world announced his retirement in 2011.