Shoaib Akhtar
Shoaib Akhtar burst onto the big stage in the 1999 World Cup with a long, hurtling run-up and blistering speed. His star status was sealed by a great flop of hair, a talent for show-boating and a vivid nickname - the Rawalpindi Express. But it was too much, too young. A huge ego and his blind ambition to break the 100mph barrier seemed to matter more to him than cementing his place in the Pakistan side. The authorities twice sidelined him over throwing allegations and although his action was cleared, courtesy of hyperextensible joints and the University of Western Australia, injuries created fresh doubts over his international future. However, he channelled his enormous resources far better in 2002, turning in two of the most blistering bowling efforts of the year, both against Australia. First, he blitzed them with a spell of 5 for 25 in a one-dayer at Brisbane, and then returned 5 for 21 in a spectacular performance in Colombo that all but won the Test for Pakistan. The 2003 World Cup was far more disappointing, though. He promised much, but came a cropper, especially in the needle encounter against Sachin Tendulkar . Dropped after the World Cup, Shoaib roared back to form on the tour to New Zealand, but soon after came a forgettable - and controversial - series against India. Not only did he struggle for wickets, he also left the field at a crucial stage of the third Test citing wrist injury and back pain, though neither injury seemed to bother him when he came out to bat later. Pakistan lost the Test, and Shoaib felt the heat, as his commitment to the game and his relationship with the captain and the team management came into question as well.
- Full name : Shoaib Akhtar
- Born : August 13, 1975, Rawalpindi, Punjab
- Batting style : Right-hand bat
- Bowling style : Right-arm fast
- Test debut : Pakistan v West Indies at Rawalpindi - Nov 29-Dec 3, 1997
- ODI debut : Zimbabwe v Pakistan at Harare - Mar 28, 1998
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