<p>India succcumbed to yet another defeat in the Super Four round of the Asia Cup 2022 edition, on Tuesday evening (September 06) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai. After losing to Pakistan on September 04 (Sunday), Rohit Sharma-led India were in a must-win scenario when they locked horns with Sri Lanka.</p>

<p>The No. 1 ranked Indian team were expected to go past the Lankans, despite the Pakistan setback, but ended on the losing side after failing to defend 173/8. Being asked to bat first, India rode on Rohit's 71, Suryakumar Yadav's 34, Hardik Pandya-Rishabh Pant's 17 each and R Ashwin's 7-ball 15* to post a competitive score, however, they failed to post anything over 190. In reply, the SL openers Kusal Medis-Pathum Nissanka's fifites and finishing cameos from Shanaka-Bhanuka Rajapaksa propelled the Islanders to a stunning six-wicket win on the penultimate ball of the contest.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/where-is-umran-why-chahar-wasnt-there-harbhajan-rips-into-indias-team-selection-after-sri-lanka-debacle-513731">'Where is Umran, why Chahar wasn't there?': Harbhajan rips into India's team selection after Sri Lanka debacle</a></strong></p>

<p>After India's defeat, they are very much on the brink of an early elimination. Thus, Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar reacted to Men in Blue's loss and told on his Youtube channel, "I wanted India and Pakistan to play in the final, and I had already bought tickets. I wanted to interact with Indian and Pakistani crowds."</p>

<p>India and Pakistan won't be able to square off once again in the Asia Cup final as the former have one foot on the flight back home. Pakistan, on the other hand, will be through if they beat Afghanistan on Wednesday (September 07). For India to miraculously qualify for the summit clash, they need Pakistan to lose their remaining two games. In addition, the defending champions will have&nbsp;to thrash Afghanistan on Thursday evening (September 08) to keep their hopes alive.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/trying-to-fix-something-that-is-not-broken-indias-t20-wc-winner-on-rohit-cos-asia-cup-struggles-513714">'Trying to fix something that is not broken' - India's T20 WC winner on Rohit &amp; Co.'s Asia Cup struggles</a></strong></p>

<p>In all scenario, only one of Pakistan or India will qualify for the final, with SL&nbsp;very much confirming one spot after their recent&nbsp;win. Akhtar is now looking forward to India-Pakistan face-off at the 2022 T20 World Cup, to be held at the MCG, Melbourne on October 23. In this regard, he said,&nbsp;"Ï will also go to Melbourne to watch Pakistan’s match."</p>


India succcumbed to yet another defeat in the Super Four round of the Asia Cup 2022 edition, on Tuesday evening (September 06) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai.

India succcumbed to yet another defeat in the Super Four round of the Asia Cup 2022 edition, on Tuesday evening (September 06) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai. After losing to Pakistan on September 04 (Sunday), Rohit Sharma-led India were in a must-win scenario when they locked horns with Sri Lanka. The No. 1 ranked Indian team were expected to go past the Lankans, despite the Pakistan setback, but ended on the losing side after failing to defend 173/8. Being asked to bat first, India rode on Rohit's 71, Suryakumar Yadav's 34, Hardik Pandya-Rishabh Pant's 17 each and R Ashwin's 7-ball 15* to post a competitive score, however, they failed to post anything over 190. In reply, the SL openers Kusal Medis-Pathum Nissanka's fifites and finishing cameos from Shanaka-Bhanuka Rajapaksa propelled the Islanders to a stunning six-wicket win on the penultimate ball of the contest. ALSO READ | 'Where is Umran, why Chahar wasn't there?': Harbhajan rips into India's team selection after Sri Lanka debacle After India's defeat, they are very much on the brink of an early elimination. Thus, Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar reacted to Men in Blue's loss and told on his Youtube channel, "I wanted India and Pakistan to play in the final, and I had already bought tickets. I wanted to interact with Indian and Pakistani crowds." India and Pakistan won't be able to square off once again in the Asia Cup final as the former have one foot on the flight back home. Pakistan, on the other hand, will be through if they beat Afghanistan on Wednesday (September 07). For India to miraculously qualify for the summit clash, they need Pakistan to lose their remaining two games. In addition, the defending champions will have to thrash Afghanistan on Thursday evening (September 08) to keep their hopes alive. ALSO READ | 'Trying to fix something that is not broken' - India's T20 WC winner on Rohit & Co.'s Asia Cup struggles In all scenario, only one of Pakistan or India will qualify for the final, with SL very much confirming one spot after their recent win. Akhtar is now looking forward to India-Pakistan face-off at the 2022 T20 World Cup, to be held at the MCG, Melbourne on October 23. In this regard, he said, "Ï will also go to Melbourne to watch Pakistan’s match."

I wanted India-Pakistan Asia Cup final, says Shoaib Akhtar as Rohit & Co. stand on the brink of elimination

<p>Pakistan bounced back to beat India by five wickets in their first Super Four clash in the ongoing Asia Cup 2022 on Sunday. After losing their opener in the group stage, Pakistan made it even as they clinched a last-over thriller in Dubai after successfully chasing down the target of 182 runs with one ball to spare.</p>

<p>India had a strong total to defend but Pakistan opener Mohammad Rizwan once again showcased his class as he played a brilliant knock of 71 runs off 51 deliveries and combined with Mohammad Nawaz (42 off 20 balls) to set up a thrilling victory for his team.</p>

<p>Reacting to India's five-wicket defeat, former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar said he had already predicted Rohit Sharma &amp; Co's thrashing at the hands of the Men in Green ahead of their Super Four clash. Akhtar made some cocky comments on Pakistan's win and claimed he had told his Indian fans to not get too happy after their win in the group stage.</p>

<p>“Meine Indians ko bhi kaha, bahut sare doosto ko bhi kaha tha ki itna khush hone ki zaruurat nahi hai, Pakistan will make a strong comeback, meine video mein bhi bola tha Pakistan ruthelessly marage Hindustan ko. (I told Indian fans&nbsp;and my friends to not get too happy as Pakistan will make a strong comeback and I had said in an earlier video that Pakistan will ruthlessly trounce India)," Akhtar said in a video on his YouTube channel.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read: </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohlis-messgae-to-his-critics-i-have-played-14-years-and-it-doesnt-happen-by-chance-512996">Virat Kohli's message to his critics: 'I have played 14 years and it doesn't happen by chance'</a></p>

<p>Akhtar also went on to slam India's team selection for the game and said Rohit Sharma, and the Indian team management looked 'confused'. India had to make two forced changes in the playing XI on Sunday as all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was ruled out due to a knee injury, while fast bowler Avesh Khan was down with fever and couldn't feature.</p>

<p>However, Akhtar said India need to decide who they want to play going forward between wicket-keepers Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik and if the likes of Ravi Bishnoi and Deepak Hooda are part of their future plans.</p>

<p>“India should decide what should be their final XI. Who is your future – is it Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik, Deepak Hood or Ravi Bishnoi? Find you final XI at least first, because, this is&nbsp;confused selection from India and I don’t know why is there so much confusion,” said the former Pakistan pacer.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/well-not-always-have-success-with-that-approach-but-we-are-okay-with-that-rohit-sharma-after-pakistan-loss-513007">We'll not always have success with that approach, but we are okay with that: Rohit Sharma after Pakistan loss</a></p>

<p>India and Pakistan can meet for the third time in the tournament if both teams manage to make it to the final. While Pakistan are well placed after beating India in their first Super Four game, India need to win their remaining two matches against Sri Lanka and Afghanistan to stand a chance.</p>


Pakistan bounced back to beat India by five wickets in their first Super Four clash in the ongoing Asia Cup 2022 on Sunday. After losing their opener in the group stage, Pakistan made it even as they clinched a last-over thriller in Dubai after successfully chasing down the target of 182 runs with one ball to spare.

Pakistan bounced back to beat India by five wickets in their first Super Four clash in the ongoing Asia Cup 2022 on Sunday. After losing their opener in the group stage, Pakistan made it even as they clinched a last-over thriller in Dubai after successfully chasing down the target of 182 runs with one ball to spare. India had a strong total to defend but Pakistan opener Mohammad Rizwan once again showcased his class as he played a brilliant knock of 71 runs off 51 deliveries and combined with Mohammad Nawaz (42 off 20 balls) to set up a thrilling victory for his team. Reacting to India's five-wicket defeat, former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar said he had already predicted Rohit Sharma & Co's thrashing at the hands of the Men in Green ahead of their Super Four clash. Akhtar made some cocky comments on Pakistan's win and claimed he had told his Indian fans to not get too happy after their win in the group stage. “Meine Indians ko bhi kaha, bahut sare doosto ko bhi kaha tha ki itna khush hone ki zaruurat nahi hai, Pakistan will make a strong comeback, meine video mein bhi bola tha Pakistan ruthelessly marage Hindustan ko. (I told Indian fans and my friends to not get too happy as Pakistan will make a strong comeback and I had said in an earlier video that Pakistan will ruthlessly trounce India)," Akhtar said in a video on his YouTube channel. Also Read: Virat Kohli's message to his critics: 'I have played 14 years and it doesn't happen by chance' Akhtar also went on to slam India's team selection for the game and said Rohit Sharma, and the Indian team management looked 'confused'. India had to make two forced changes in the playing XI on Sunday as all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was ruled out due to a knee injury, while fast bowler Avesh Khan was down with fever and couldn't feature. However, Akhtar said India need to decide who they want to play going forward between wicket-keepers Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik and if the likes of Ravi Bishnoi and Deepak Hooda are part of their future plans. “India should decide what should be their final XI. Who is your future – is it Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik, Deepak Hood or Ravi Bishnoi? Find you final XI at least first, because, this is confused selection from India and I don’t know why is there so much confusion,” said the former Pakistan pacer. Also Read: We'll not always have success with that approach, but we are okay with that: Rohit Sharma after Pakistan loss India and Pakistan can meet for the third time in the tournament if both teams manage to make it to the final. While Pakistan are well placed after beating India in their first Super Four game, India need to win their remaining two matches against Sri Lanka and Afghanistan to stand a chance.

'Had said Pakistan will ruthlessly trounce India': Shoaib Akhtar on Babar & Co's thrilling win in Asia Cup

<p>Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has said he wants to see Virat Kohli break the legendary Sachin Tendulkar's record of 100 centuries in international cricket. Kohli's form has been under the scanner for a while now but the senior Team India batter has managed to spark a turnaround in the ongoing Asia Cup 2022.</p>

<p>Kohli has looked in decent touch in the Asia Cup so far with crucial knocks in India's first two matches against Pakistan and Hong Kong. He bagged a crucial 35-run-knock against Pakistan in the opener and followed it up with a brilliant fifty against Hong Kong to help the Men in Blue bag two wins in a row in the tournament.</p>

<p>Though he looked in good rhythm en route to his 44-ball 59 against Hong Kong, Kohli's innings lacked firepower and he was seen struggling to middle the ball on several occasions. Akhtar agreed Kohli is still not on top of his game and suggested waiting till the T20 World Cup 2022 if the shortest format is still a viable option for him going ahead.</p>

<p>“Virat Kohli hasn't been middling the ball really well. Both innings were quite patchy. He scored 59, I wish him the best. Mera ye hi mashwara hoga Kohli ko ki dekh lo World Cup tak (My only suggestion to Kohli is to just wait till the T20 World Cup), if this format suits your or doesn't suit you. 30 centuries karni hain aur aage (you have to score 30 more centuries),” Akhtar said in a video on his YouTube channel.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-2022-gautam-gambhir-explains-why-india-have-advantage-over-pakistan-in-super-4-clash-512764">Asia Cup 2022 -&nbsp;Gautam Gambhir explains why India have advantage over Pakistan in Super 4 clash</a></p>

<p>Akhar further backed Kohli to break Tendulkar's record of scoring 100 centuries in international cricket. Tendulkar holds the record for smashing the most number of centuries in international cricket and is the only man in the history of the sport to reach the 100 centuries mark.</p>

<p>With 70 centuries under his belt, Kohli is the closest to Tendulkar's record among the active batters. He is currently behind only Tendulkar and former Australia captain Ricky Ponting (71) in the list of batters with the most centuries in international cricket.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/deepak-hooda-in-for-ravindra-jadeja-indias-predicted-playing-xi-for-asia-cup-super-4-clash-against-pakistan-512757">Deepak Hooda in for Ravindra Jadeja? India's predicted playing XI for Asia Cup Super 4 clash against Pakistan</a></p>

<p>Akhtar believes Kohli can go on to establish his credentials as the greatest of all time if he can score 30 more centuries in his international career. However, the Pakistan pacer insisted the remaining 30 centuries will be the toughest ones for the senior India batter, who has not scored a ton for Team India since November 2019.</p>

<p>“You can become the greatest player forever. You have to convince yourself that you are the greatest ever. This is going to be the hardest 30 centuries -- if he scores. When he goes to the longest formats, he will get time to settle. Here, he is trying but the time is less, you have to maintain a good strike rate, you have to ensure the team wins,"&nbsp;said Akthar.</p>

<p>"He is positive, he is aggressive.. he is a great player, but I really want him to score a 100 centuries and break Sachin Tendulkar's record. It looks impossible right now, but this man can do it,” he added.</p>


Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has said he wants to see Virat Kohli break the legendary Sachin Tendulkar's record of 100 centuries in international cricket.

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has said he wants to see Virat Kohli break the legendary Sachin Tendulkar's record of 100 centuries in international cricket. Kohli's form has been under the scanner for a while now but the senior Team India batter has managed to spark a turnaround in the ongoing Asia Cup 2022. Kohli has looked in decent touch in the Asia Cup so far with crucial knocks in India's first two matches against Pakistan and Hong Kong. He bagged a crucial 35-run-knock against Pakistan in the opener and followed it up with a brilliant fifty against Hong Kong to help the Men in Blue bag two wins in a row in the tournament. Though he looked in good rhythm en route to his 44-ball 59 against Hong Kong, Kohli's innings lacked firepower and he was seen struggling to middle the ball on several occasions. Akhtar agreed Kohli is still not on top of his game and suggested waiting till the T20 World Cup 2022 if the shortest format is still a viable option for him going ahead. “Virat Kohli hasn't been middling the ball really well. Both innings were quite patchy. He scored 59, I wish him the best. Mera ye hi mashwara hoga Kohli ko ki dekh lo World Cup tak (My only suggestion to Kohli is to just wait till the T20 World Cup), if this format suits your or doesn't suit you. 30 centuries karni hain aur aage (you have to score 30 more centuries),” Akhtar said in a video on his YouTube channel. Also Read: Asia Cup 2022 - Gautam Gambhir explains why India have advantage over Pakistan in Super 4 clash Akhar further backed Kohli to break Tendulkar's record of scoring 100 centuries in international cricket. Tendulkar holds the record for smashing the most number of centuries in international cricket and is the only man in the history of the sport to reach the 100 centuries mark. With 70 centuries under his belt, Kohli is the closest to Tendulkar's record among the active batters. He is currently behind only Tendulkar and former Australia captain Ricky Ponting (71) in the list of batters with the most centuries in international cricket. Also Read: Deepak Hooda in for Ravindra Jadeja? India's predicted playing XI for Asia Cup Super 4 clash against Pakistan Akhtar believes Kohli can go on to establish his credentials as the greatest of all time if he can score 30 more centuries in his international career. However, the Pakistan pacer insisted the remaining 30 centuries will be the toughest ones for the senior India batter, who has not scored a ton for Team India since November 2019. “You can become the greatest player forever. You have to convince yourself that you are the greatest ever. This is going to be the hardest 30 centuries -- if he scores. When he goes to the longest formats, he will get time to settle. Here, he is trying but the time is less, you have to maintain a good strike rate, you have to ensure the team wins," said Akthar. "He is positive, he is aggressive.. he is a great player, but I really want him to score a 100 centuries and break Sachin Tendulkar's record. It looks impossible right now, but this man can do it,” he added.

I really want Virat Kohli to score 100 centuries and break Sachin Tendulkar's record: Shoaib Akhtar

<p>India and Pakistan locked horns with each other in the Asia Cup showdown on Sunday (August 28) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai. It was the same venue where both sides had last met during the 2021 T20 World Cup, where Babar Azam-led Men in Green had achieved their maiden World Cup win over their Asian neighbours by beating them by ten wickets.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Nonetheless, Pakistan failed to make it two wins in a row versus India as Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. beat them by five wickets in a thrilling contest on Sunday evening. For India, Bhuvneshwar Kumar (4 for 26) and Hardik Pandya's 3-25 dismissed Pakistan for 147 in 19.5 overs, after opting to bowl first. In reply, India were in a spot of bother being 89-4 but Ravindra Jadeja's 35 and Hardik's 17-ball 33 not out to propel the Men in Blue to a thrilling last-over win. While India were bailed out of a crisis situation, they will be content in returning with a victory to open their campaign in style. Set to face Hong Kong in their next tie, on Wednesday (August 31), India will hope to go unchanged and make it two victories on the trot.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-hardiks-savage-response-to-dinesh-karthik-in-last-over-of-ind-vs-pak-thriller-goes-viral-watch-511092"><strong>Asia Cup: Hardik's savage response to Dinesh Karthik in last-over of IND vs PAK thriller goes viral - watch</strong></a></p>

<p>Rishabh Pant, on the other hand, wasn't part of the Pakistan clash -- with India choosing to go ahead with Dinesh Karthik over the swashbuckling left-hander -- and will hope to get a look-in before the Super Four round. Shoaib Akhtar, former Pakistan pacer, had plenty to say about the Indo-Pak clash. He slammed Mohammad Rizwan for playing an unimpressive 42-ball 43-run-knock and slammed both captains for 'bad selections'.</p>

<p>&nbsp;"If Rizwan will play run-a-ball then obviously what will happen? 19 dot balls in the first 6 overs. If you play so many dot balls, then you will face problems," Akhtar said on his&nbsp;<em>YouTube</em>&nbsp;channel.</p>

<p>"It was a bad selection by both captains. Both tried to pick the wrong teams. They (India) dropped Rishabh Pant and we (Pakistan) added Iftikhar Ahmed at number four. No disrespect to Iftikhar or anybody, but I have said this multiple times... Babar Azam shouldn't open. Instead, he should come one down and anchor the innings till the end," the Rawalpindi Express added.</p>

<p>It will be interesting to see if India bring back Pant into the playing XI and whether Pakistan will break their trusted opening pair of Babar-Rizwan going forward into the tournament. Both the Asian giants face Hong Kong in their remaining group stage encounter before the action shifts to the Super Four, followed by the final.&nbsp;</p>


India and Pakistan locked horns with each other in the Asia Cup showdown on Sunday (August 28) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai. It was the same venue where both sides had last met during the 2021 T20 World Cup, where Babar Azam-led Men in Green had achieved their maiden World Cup win over their Asian neighbours by beating them by ten wickets.

India and Pakistan locked horns with each other in the Asia Cup showdown on Sunday (August 28) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai. It was the same venue where both sides had last met during the 2021 T20 World Cup, where Babar Azam-led Men in Green had achieved their maiden World Cup win over their Asian neighbours by beating them by ten wickets. Nonetheless, Pakistan failed to make it two wins in a row versus India as Rohit Sharma & Co. beat them by five wickets in a thrilling contest on Sunday evening. For India, Bhuvneshwar Kumar (4 for 26) and Hardik Pandya's 3-25 dismissed Pakistan for 147 in 19.5 overs, after opting to bowl first. In reply, India were in a spot of bother being 89-4 but Ravindra Jadeja's 35 and Hardik's 17-ball 33 not out to propel the Men in Blue to a thrilling last-over win. While India were bailed out of a crisis situation, they will be content in returning with a victory to open their campaign in style. Set to face Hong Kong in their next tie, on Wednesday (August 31), India will hope to go unchanged and make it two victories on the trot. ALSO READ | Asia Cup: Hardik's savage response to Dinesh Karthik in last-over of IND vs PAK thriller goes viral - watch Rishabh Pant, on the other hand, wasn't part of the Pakistan clash -- with India choosing to go ahead with Dinesh Karthik over the swashbuckling left-hander -- and will hope to get a look-in before the Super Four round. Shoaib Akhtar, former Pakistan pacer, had plenty to say about the Indo-Pak clash. He slammed Mohammad Rizwan for playing an unimpressive 42-ball 43-run-knock and slammed both captains for 'bad selections'. "If Rizwan will play run-a-ball then obviously what will happen? 19 dot balls in the first 6 overs. If you play so many dot balls, then you will face problems," Akhtar said on his YouTube channel. "It was a bad selection by both captains. Both tried to pick the wrong teams. They (India) dropped Rishabh Pant and we (Pakistan) added Iftikhar Ahmed at number four. No disrespect to Iftikhar or anybody, but I have said this multiple times... Babar Azam shouldn't open. Instead, he should come one down and anchor the innings till the end," the Rawalpindi Express added. It will be interesting to see if India bring back Pant into the playing XI and whether Pakistan will break their trusted opening pair of Babar-Rizwan going forward into the tournament. Both the Asian giants face Hong Kong in their remaining group stage encounter before the action shifts to the Super Four, followed by the final.

Shoaib Akhtar slams Rohit Sharma & Co. for dropping Rishabh Pant in Asia Cup showdown vs Pakistan

<p>Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar believes the huge hype surrounding clashes between India and Pakistan made it difficult for the Men in Green to come out on top against their arch-rivals in World Cup matches. Akhtar recently spoke about the fierce rivalry between India and Pakistan while also explaining why the Men in Green have failed to impress against India in the World Cup.</p>

<p>India enjoy&nbsp;a dominant 12-1 record against Pakistan when it comes to World Cup matches having lost just once against them in ODI and T20 World Cups so far. India's first and only loss against Pakistan came during T20 World Cup 2021 when Babar Azam &amp; Co. ended their losing streak.</p>

<p>Akhtar, who featured against India in as many as four World Cups, revealed Pakistan used to play against India under massive pressure in World Cup matches. The former fast bowler&nbsp;said the media was partially responsible for the hype as most players used to watch TV and would give in to the unnecessary hype.</p>

<p>“We, as (the) Pakistan team, used to play against India, why don’t you just play it as a normal match? We had come (into the 1999 World Cup) beating India in ODIs as well as Tests in their backyard. (It was) just the added pressure of the World Cup as well as the huge hype," Akhtar said on Star Sports.</p>

<p>“Pakistan team used to get pressurized by that hype. This hype was created by TV (media) and we all used to watch TV," he added.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/huge-blow-for-pakistan-as-shaheen-shah-afridi-ruled-out-of-asia-cup-2022-due-to-an-injury-508685">Huge blow for Pakistan as Shaheen Shah Afridi ruled out of Asia Cup 2022 due to an injury</a></p>

<p>Akhtar, who is one of the quickest bowlers to have graced the game, also went on to make a bold claim. The Rawalpindi Express said all Indian batters were scared of his pace during the 1999 World Cup clash between the two teams barring Sachin Tendulkar, who played him the best.</p>

<p>“This Pakistan team used to get to the ground against India with unnecessary pressure. We even choked in the 2003 World Cup. But Sachin played me the best during the 1999 World Cup. All the other batters were scared of me at that time. Many batters of the world used to stop moving their feet against me," Akhtar said.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/you-too-can-fight-shoaib-akhtar-recalls-his-heated-on-field-clash-with-india-legend-rahul-dravid-508603">'You too can fight': Shoaib Akhtar recalls his heated on-field clash with India legend Rahul Dravid</a></p>

<p>Akhtar shared a fierce rivalry with Tendulkar and the duo enjoyed several memorable duels between them. While Akhtar managed to get the better of Tendulkar on a few occasions, Tendulkar dominated the former Pakistan pacer in major ICC events and scored runs&nbsp; profusely against him.</p>


Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar believes the huge hype surrounding clashes between India and Pakistan made it difficult for the Men in Green to come out on top against their arch-rivals in World Cup matches.

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar believes the huge hype surrounding clashes between India and Pakistan made it difficult for the Men in Green to come out on top against their arch-rivals in World Cup matches. Akhtar recently spoke about the fierce rivalry between India and Pakistan while also explaining why the Men in Green have failed to impress against India in the World Cup. India enjoy a dominant 12-1 record against Pakistan when it comes to World Cup matches having lost just once against them in ODI and T20 World Cups so far. India's first and only loss against Pakistan came during T20 World Cup 2021 when Babar Azam & Co. ended their losing streak. Akhtar, who featured against India in as many as four World Cups, revealed Pakistan used to play against India under massive pressure in World Cup matches. The former fast bowler said the media was partially responsible for the hype as most players used to watch TV and would give in to the unnecessary hype. “We, as (the) Pakistan team, used to play against India, why don’t you just play it as a normal match? We had come (into the 1999 World Cup) beating India in ODIs as well as Tests in their backyard. (It was) just the added pressure of the World Cup as well as the huge hype," Akhtar said on Star Sports. “Pakistan team used to get pressurized by that hype. This hype was created by TV (media) and we all used to watch TV," he added. Also Read: Huge blow for Pakistan as Shaheen Shah Afridi ruled out of Asia Cup 2022 due to an injury Akhtar, who is one of the quickest bowlers to have graced the game, also went on to make a bold claim. The Rawalpindi Express said all Indian batters were scared of his pace during the 1999 World Cup clash between the two teams barring Sachin Tendulkar, who played him the best. “This Pakistan team used to get to the ground against India with unnecessary pressure. We even choked in the 2003 World Cup. But Sachin played me the best during the 1999 World Cup. All the other batters were scared of me at that time. Many batters of the world used to stop moving their feet against me," Akhtar said. Also Read: 'You too can fight': Shoaib Akhtar recalls his heated on-field clash with India legend Rahul Dravid Akhtar shared a fierce rivalry with Tendulkar and the duo enjoyed several memorable duels between them. While Akhtar managed to get the better of Tendulkar on a few occasions, Tendulkar dominated the former Pakistan pacer in major ICC events and scored runs profusely against him.

Sachin played me best, all others were scared: Shoaib Akhtar's bold claim about India-Pakistan 1999 WC clash

<p>Shoaib Akhtar and Rahul Dravid have enjoyed several duels against each other during their playing days. While Akhtar never shied away from expressing himself on the field, Dravid was the completely opposite and rarely tried to get involved in on-field clashes with the opposition players.</p>

<p>The two have completely different personalities and the battels between the were mostly low-key affairs. However, there were times when Akhtar tried to rile up Dravid and get on to his nerves when the two crossed paths. One such instance was recently recalled by the former Pakistan pacer, who revealed how Dravid lost his cool on him during a game.</p>

<p>Akhtar, who has on several occasions in the past admitted Dravid was one of the toughest batter he has bowled to, revealed Dravid ran into him during India's innings and the two ended up colliding. Akhtar then exchanged a few words with the batting great, who was in no mood to back off and got into a heated argument with the former Pakistan pacer.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohlis-century-drought-in-international-cricket-goes-past-triple-digits-as-he-touches-1000-days-508466">Virat Kohli's century drought in international cricket goes past triple digits as he touches 1,000 days</a></p>

<p>"It was the first time I saw this gentleman of cricket behave… in that match, he wanted to have a word with me. We ran into each other and we collided. Before that, as I ran in to bowl, and before I took my jump, Mohammad Kaif moved away. I did not say anything to him but I was very angry. So, I got him and Yuvraj out," Akhtar said in a video posted by <em>Star Sports</em>.</p>

<p>"We were close to winning that game, and Rahul Dravid ran into me. I told him you run on your side and I will run on mine. Rahul got flared up. I told him 'Rahul, why are you getting so aggressive? I know the climate is changing but the thing is I can't understand that 'tu bhi ladh sakta hai' (you too can fight)," he added.</p>

<p>While he didn't mention the details, the match Akhtar is referring to can possibly be the 5th ODI between India and Pakistan during the series between the arch-rivals in 2004. Dravid and Akhtar had to be separated by Pakistan players after their heated on-field clash during the game.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/was-looking-for-an-opportunity-deepak-chahar-looks-back-at-his-stunning-performance-against-zimbabwe-508437">'Was looking for an opportunity'- Deepak Chahar looks back at his stunning performance against Zimbabwe</a></p>

<p>Akhtar, however, termed the heated argument with Dravid a one-off thing and lauded the Indian legend for being a gentleman. Dravid is one of the most humble cricketers to have played the game and always remained calm and composed on the field even in high-pressure&nbsp;situations.</p>

<p>"But it was a one-off thing. Rahul is a gentleman. But coming back to the match, I had bowled really fast in that spell. I made sure that after 2003 WC, I left an impact on the Indian team. It was always in my mind to bowl fast after the 2003 World Cup," said Akhtar.</p>


Shoaib Akhtar and Rahul Dravid have enjoyed several duels against each other during their playing days. While Akhtar never shied away from expressing himself on the field, Dravid was the completely opposite and rarely tried to get involved in on-field clashes with the opposition players.

Shoaib Akhtar and Rahul Dravid have enjoyed several duels against each other during their playing days. While Akhtar never shied away from expressing himself on the field, Dravid was the completely opposite and rarely tried to get involved in on-field clashes with the opposition players. The two have completely different personalities and the battels between the were mostly low-key affairs. However, there were times when Akhtar tried to rile up Dravid and get on to his nerves when the two crossed paths. One such instance was recently recalled by the former Pakistan pacer, who revealed how Dravid lost his cool on him during a game. Akhtar, who has on several occasions in the past admitted Dravid was one of the toughest batter he has bowled to, revealed Dravid ran into him during India's innings and the two ended up colliding. Akhtar then exchanged a few words with the batting great, who was in no mood to back off and got into a heated argument with the former Pakistan pacer. Also Read: Virat Kohli's century drought in international cricket goes past triple digits as he touches 1,000 days "It was the first time I saw this gentleman of cricket behave… in that match, he wanted to have a word with me. We ran into each other and we collided. Before that, as I ran in to bowl, and before I took my jump, Mohammad Kaif moved away. I did not say anything to him but I was very angry. So, I got him and Yuvraj out," Akhtar said in a video posted by Star Sports. "We were close to winning that game, and Rahul Dravid ran into me. I told him you run on your side and I will run on mine. Rahul got flared up. I told him 'Rahul, why are you getting so aggressive? I know the climate is changing but the thing is I can't understand that 'tu bhi ladh sakta hai' (you too can fight)," he added. While he didn't mention the details, the match Akhtar is referring to can possibly be the 5th ODI between India and Pakistan during the series between the arch-rivals in 2004. Dravid and Akhtar had to be separated by Pakistan players after their heated on-field clash during the game. Also Read: 'Was looking for an opportunity'- Deepak Chahar looks back at his stunning performance against Zimbabwe Akhtar, however, termed the heated argument with Dravid a one-off thing and lauded the Indian legend for being a gentleman. Dravid is one of the most humble cricketers to have played the game and always remained calm and composed on the field even in high-pressure situations. "But it was a one-off thing. Rahul is a gentleman. But coming back to the match, I had bowled really fast in that spell. I made sure that after 2003 WC, I left an impact on the Indian team. It was always in my mind to bowl fast after the 2003 World Cup," said Akhtar.

'You too can fight': Shoaib Akhtar recalls his heated on-field clash with India legend Rahul Dravid

<p>Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar blasted Marcus Stoinis after the Australian all-rounder accused Pakistan pacer Mohammad Hasnain of chucking in the ongoing The Hundred tournament. Stoinis, who is playing for the Southern Brave in The Hundred seemingly accused Oval Invincibles' pacer Hasnain of chucking with a hand gesture during the clash between the two sides on Sunday.</p>

<p>The incident happened after Stoinis was dismissed by Hasnain on 37 off 27 balls. The Australian all-rounder was not happy after his dismissal and expressed his frustration by suggesting that the bowler was chucking. On his way back to the dugout, Stoinis was seen imitating Hasnain's bowling action trying to accuse him of chucking.</p>

<p>Stoinis was slammed by many for his gesture, including Akhtar, who lashed out at the Aussie star and called his gesture shameful. Akhtar said no player should be allowed to accuse a bowler of chucking when his action has been cleared by the ICC.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/his-tolerance-was-very-little-dinesh-karthik-explains-what-annoyed-ex-india-coach-ravi-shastri-the-most-507741">'His tolerance was very little...' - Karthik explains what annoyed ex-India coach Ravi Shastri the most</a></p>

<p>"Shameful gesture by&nbsp;@MStoinis regarding bowling action of&nbsp;@MHasnainPak during #TheHundred2022. How dare you do such things?? Ofcourse&nbsp;@ICC stays quiet about them.&nbsp;No player should be allowed to do such things if someone's been cleared already," Akhtar wrote in a tweet while sharing a picture of Stoinis' gesture.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Shameful gesture by <a href="https://twitter.com/MStoinis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MStoinis</a> regarding bowling action of <a href="https://twitter.com/MHasnainPak?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MHasnainPak</a> during <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheHundred2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheHundred2022</a> . How dare you do such things?? Ofcourse <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ICC</a> stays quiet about them.<br />
No player should be allowed to do such things if someone's been cleared already. <a href="https://t.co/5idGdBqcUf">pic.twitter.com/5idGdBqcUf</a></p>
— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) <a href="https://twitter.com/shoaib100mph/status/1559570901615747078?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>Hasnain was found guilty of illegal bowling action earlier this year and was barred from bowling after he was reported during a match in the Big Bash League (BBL) in Australia. However, the Pakistan pacer was later cleared to return to bowling after fixing his action.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-tour-of-zimbabwe-shikhar-dhawan-reacts-on-being-replaced-by-kl-rahul-as-captain-507760">India tour of Zimbabwe: Shikhar Dhawan reacts on being replaced by KL Rahul as captain</a></p>

<p>Talking about the game, Stoinis was the top scorer for Southern Brave in the game with his 37 off 27 balls as they posted 137 runs on the board in their quota of 100 deliveries. However, it turned out to be a comfortable victory for the Oval Invincibles at the end as they rode on Will Jacks' stunning unbeaten 108 off 48 balls to help his team chase down the target with 18 balls to spare.</p>


Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar blasted Marcus Stoinis after the Australian all-rounder accused Pakistan pacer Mohammad Hasnain of chucking in the ongoing The Hundred tournament.

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar blasted Marcus Stoinis after the Australian all-rounder accused Pakistan pacer Mohammad Hasnain of chucking in the ongoing The Hundred tournament. Stoinis, who is playing for the Southern Brave in The Hundred seemingly accused Oval Invincibles' pacer Hasnain of chucking with a hand gesture during the clash between the two sides on Sunday. The incident happened after Stoinis was dismissed by Hasnain on 37 off 27 balls. The Australian all-rounder was not happy after his dismissal and expressed his frustration by suggesting that the bowler was chucking. On his way back to the dugout, Stoinis was seen imitating Hasnain's bowling action trying to accuse him of chucking. Stoinis was slammed by many for his gesture, including Akhtar, who lashed out at the Aussie star and called his gesture shameful. Akhtar said no player should be allowed to accuse a bowler of chucking when his action has been cleared by the ICC. Also Read: 'His tolerance was very little...' - Karthik explains what annoyed ex-India coach Ravi Shastri the most "Shameful gesture by @MStoinis regarding bowling action of @MHasnainPak during #TheHundred2022. How dare you do such things?? Ofcourse @ICC stays quiet about them. No player should be allowed to do such things if someone's been cleared already," Akhtar wrote in a tweet while sharing a picture of Stoinis' gesture. Shameful gesture by @MStoinis regarding bowling action of @MHasnainPak during #TheHundred2022 . How dare you do such things?? Ofcourse @ICC stays quiet about them. No player should be allowed to do such things if someone's been cleared already. pic.twitter.com/5idGdBqcUf — Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) August 16, 2022 × Hasnain was found guilty of illegal bowling action earlier this year and was barred from bowling after he was reported during a match in the Big Bash League (BBL) in Australia. However, the Pakistan pacer was later cleared to return to bowling after fixing his action. Also Read: India tour of Zimbabwe: Shikhar Dhawan reacts on being replaced by KL Rahul as captain Talking about the game, Stoinis was the top scorer for Southern Brave in the game with his 37 off 27 balls as they posted 137 runs on the board in their quota of 100 deliveries. However, it turned out to be a comfortable victory for the Oval Invincibles at the end as they rode on Will Jacks' stunning unbeaten 108 off 48 balls to help his team chase down the target with 18 balls to spare.

'Shameful': Shoaib Akhtar blasts Marcus Stoinis after Aussie all-rounder accuses Pakistan pacer of chucking

<p>Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has made yet another bold claim stating that he wasn't aware of Sachin Tendulkar's stature before coming up against him in international cricket. Tendulkar, who is regarded as one of the greatest batters of all time, enjoyed some fierce duels with Akhtar during his playing days.</p>

<p>Tendulkar was already a big name in world cricket and had established his credentials as one of the best in the game by the time Akhtar made his debut for Pakistan in 1997. The India legend at the time was taming the best bowling attacks in the world and piling on runs consistently across formats.</p>

<p>However, recently speaking in a video shared by&nbsp;Star Sports, Akhtar claimed he was unaware of Tendulkar's stature as he used to be 'lost in his own world'. Akhtar, who is one of the quickest bowlers to have played the game, said he only knew what the batter was thinking and what he would do.</p>

<p>"Saqlain told me about Sachin Tendulkar and his stature. I didn't know about him. I was lost in my own world. I didn't know. I only knew what I will do and what the batter was thinking," Akhtar said in the video.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/let-him-practice-bcci-president-sourav-ganguly-reacts-to-virat-kohlis-lean-patch-ahead-of-asia-cup-2022-507186">'Let him practice':&nbsp;Sourav Ganguly reacts to Virat Kohli's lean patch ahead of Asia Cup 2022</a></p>

<p>Tendulkar and Akhtar crossed swords on the field on several occasions while representing their respective teams and dominated each other. While Akhtar holds the record for bowling the fastest delivery in international cricket, Tendulkar remains the leading run-getter of all time in international cricket.</p>

<p>The two shared an epic rivalry on the pitch as India and Pakistan used to meet regularly during their playing days. However, the two countries have not played any bilateral cricket since 2013 due to political tensions between the nations. India and Pakistan continue to meet only in major ICC tournaments.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/is-team-india-favourites-for-asia-cup-2022-former-pakistan-captain-shares-his-take-507127">Is Team India favourites for Asia Cup 2022? Former Pakistan captain shares his take</a></p>

<p>Speaking of the India-Pakistan rivalry, Akhtar explained how the Pakistani fast bowlers were different compared to the Indian pacers in the past. The Rawalpindi Express said Pakistani pacers used to look for excuses to bowl fast and he himself never missed out on an opportunity to have a go at the opposition with the ball.</p>

<p>“The big difference between your fast bowlers and ours was that we used to look for excuses to bowl fast. Whenever I used to realise that the ball is reverse-swinging, I thought, 'If I get a spell here, I will run through the batters'. I will just take the five wickets there and win the match for Pakistan. You can't be a star without being a match-winner. We used to win games for the country,” Akhtar said.</p>


Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has made yet another bold claim stating that he wasn't aware of Sachin Tendulkar's stature before coming up against him in international cricket.

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has made yet another bold claim stating that he wasn't aware of Sachin Tendulkar's stature before coming up against him in international cricket. Tendulkar, who is regarded as one of the greatest batters of all time, enjoyed some fierce duels with Akhtar during his playing days. Tendulkar was already a big name in world cricket and had established his credentials as one of the best in the game by the time Akhtar made his debut for Pakistan in 1997. The India legend at the time was taming the best bowling attacks in the world and piling on runs consistently across formats. However, recently speaking in a video shared by Star Sports, Akhtar claimed he was unaware of Tendulkar's stature as he used to be 'lost in his own world'. Akhtar, who is one of the quickest bowlers to have played the game, said he only knew what the batter was thinking and what he would do. "Saqlain told me about Sachin Tendulkar and his stature. I didn't know about him. I was lost in my own world. I didn't know. I only knew what I will do and what the batter was thinking," Akhtar said in the video. Also Read: 'Let him practice': Sourav Ganguly reacts to Virat Kohli's lean patch ahead of Asia Cup 2022 Tendulkar and Akhtar crossed swords on the field on several occasions while representing their respective teams and dominated each other. While Akhtar holds the record for bowling the fastest delivery in international cricket, Tendulkar remains the leading run-getter of all time in international cricket. The two shared an epic rivalry on the pitch as India and Pakistan used to meet regularly during their playing days. However, the two countries have not played any bilateral cricket since 2013 due to political tensions between the nations. India and Pakistan continue to meet only in major ICC tournaments. Also Read: Is Team India favourites for Asia Cup 2022? Former Pakistan captain shares his take Speaking of the India-Pakistan rivalry, Akhtar explained how the Pakistani fast bowlers were different compared to the Indian pacers in the past. The Rawalpindi Express said Pakistani pacers used to look for excuses to bowl fast and he himself never missed out on an opportunity to have a go at the opposition with the ball. “The big difference between your fast bowlers and ours was that we used to look for excuses to bowl fast. Whenever I used to realise that the ball is reverse-swinging, I thought, 'If I get a spell here, I will run through the batters'. I will just take the five wickets there and win the match for Pakistan. You can't be a star without being a match-winner. We used to win games for the country,” Akhtar said.

Saqlain told me about Sachin, I didn't know him: Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar makes bold claim

<p>India and Pakistan are set to lock horns in the Asia Cup 2022 edition's group stage clash on August 28, in Dubai. Hence, all eyes are on how both Asian sides start their respective campaigns in the showpiece event, which will be held in the shortest format as a dress rehearsal for this year's T20 World Cup in Australia.</p>

<p>Ahead of the mega clash, former off-spinner Harbhajan Singh recalled the Indo-Pak 2011 ODI World Cup semi-final match, held in Mohali. Before the marquee fixture, Bhajji received a unique request from Shoaib Akhtar, who was part of the then Shahid Afridi-led Men in Green campaign.</p>

<p>Bhajji narrated the whole episode on Star Sports and said, "When Akhtar met me, he said: 'There's a lot of pressure but not about the match. It's about getting tickets'. He told me that his family was coming from Pakistan and I agreed to arrange a couple of tickets for him. Thereafter, he asked me if I can get him tickets for the next match (final) as well. I asked him 'you're going to Mumbai?' to which he responded 'yes, that's where the final is'."</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/harbhajan-singh-reveals-how-ms-dhonis-advice-helped-him-during-india-pakistan-cwc11-clash-watch-507017"><strong>Harbhajan Singh reveals how MS Dhoni's advice helped him during India-Pakistan CWC'11 SF tie - WATCH</strong></a></p>

<p>"I laughed and avoided his request but wondered 'why is he so confident?'. But I saw the next day that he (Shoaib) wasn't even playing the semi-final. I arranged a ticket but it wasn't for the final. I booked one for Lahore," Bhajji revealed.</p>

<p>Talking about the India-Pakistan CWC'11 semi-final, MS Dhoni-led India opted to bat first and rode on Virender Sehwag's 38, Suresh Raina's 36 not out and Sachin Tendulkar's 85 to post 260-9 in 50 overs. In reply, the Akhtar-less Pakistan were bundled out for 231 in 49.5 overs to lose by 29 runs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the final, India beat Sri Lanka by six wickets -- chasing a challenging 275&nbsp;at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai -- to become the first-ever host country to win the ODI World Cup.</p>


India and Pakistan are set to lock horns in the Asia Cup 2022 edition's group stage clash on August 28, in Dubai. Hence, all eyes are on how both Asian sides start their respective campaigns in the showpiece event, which will be held in the shortest format as a dress rehearsal for this year's T20 World Cup in Australia.

India and Pakistan are set to lock horns in the Asia Cup 2022 edition's group stage clash on August 28, in Dubai. Hence, all eyes are on how both Asian sides start their respective campaigns in the showpiece event, which will be held in the shortest format as a dress rehearsal for this year's T20 World Cup in Australia. Ahead of the mega clash, former off-spinner Harbhajan Singh recalled the Indo-Pak 2011 ODI World Cup semi-final match, held in Mohali. Before the marquee fixture, Bhajji received a unique request from Shoaib Akhtar, who was part of the then Shahid Afridi-led Men in Green campaign. Bhajji narrated the whole episode on Star Sports and said, "When Akhtar met me, he said: 'There's a lot of pressure but not about the match. It's about getting tickets'. He told me that his family was coming from Pakistan and I agreed to arrange a couple of tickets for him. Thereafter, he asked me if I can get him tickets for the next match (final) as well. I asked him 'you're going to Mumbai?' to which he responded 'yes, that's where the final is'." ALSO READ | Harbhajan Singh reveals how MS Dhoni's advice helped him during India-Pakistan CWC'11 SF tie - WATCH "I laughed and avoided his request but wondered 'why is he so confident?'. But I saw the next day that he (Shoaib) wasn't even playing the semi-final. I arranged a ticket but it wasn't for the final. I booked one for Lahore," Bhajji revealed. Talking about the India-Pakistan CWC'11 semi-final, MS Dhoni-led India opted to bat first and rode on Virender Sehwag's 38, Suresh Raina's 36 not out and Sachin Tendulkar's 85 to post 260-9 in 50 overs. In reply, the Akhtar-less Pakistan were bundled out for 231 in 49.5 overs to lose by 29 runs. In the final, India beat Sri Lanka by six wickets -- chasing a challenging 275 at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai -- to become the first-ever host country to win the ODI World Cup.

'You're going to Mumbai?' - Harbhajan recalls his response to Akhtar's request for CWC'11 final tickets

<p>Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar shared an emotional video from his hospital bed after undergoing knee surgery in Melbourne. One of the fastest bowlers to have graced the game, Akhtar was a nightmare to face for the best of batters during his playing days. He was fondly called the 'Rawalpindi Express' for his brutal pace and continues to hold the record for bowling the fastest delivery in international cricket.</p>

<p>But his fast bowling exploits came with a cost as Akhtar constantly faced knee issues throughout his career. The severe problems in his knee also saw him miss several matches for Pakistan throughout his international career. Akhtar has himself admitted in the past he has undergone several surgeries due to his knee issues.</p>

<p>The legendary fast bowler underwent another surgery at a hospital in Melbourne recently. He took to social media to post a video from his hospital bed, urging his fans to pray&nbsp;for his recovery. An emotional Akhtar said he is in immense pain and hopefully will not have to undergo another surgery in his life.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-honestly-dont-know-shikhar-dhawan-on-reason-behind-his-absence-from-indias-t20i-squad-505496">'I honestly don't know': Shikhar Dhawan on reason behind his absence from India's T20I squad</a></p>

<p>"I have come out of the surgery and it went well. I am in pain and I need your prayers. Hopefully, this is my last surgery," said Akhtar in the video.</p>

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<p>The former Pakistan pacer also claimed he would have played international cricket for another 4-5 years had it not been for his knee issues. Akhtar said even after eleven years of his retirement, his knee issues continue to haunt him showcasing the toll fast bowling took on his body.</p>

<p>I am in huge pain even after 11 years of my retirement. I could have played for another four to five years. But I was aware that if I did, I would become wheelchair-bound. That’s the reason why I retired from cricket," said Akhtar.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/alyssa-healy-issues-clarification-after-facing-backlash-over-salty-tweet-post-cwg-win-against-india-505459">&nbsp;Alyssa Healy issues clarification after facing backlash over 'salty' tweet post CWG win against India</a></p>

<p>Akhtar made his debut for Pakistan in a Test match against West Indies in 1997 and gradually went on to become a vital cog in their pace attack. Known for his ruthless pace and aggressive style, Akhtar finished his career with a total of 444 international wickets across the three formats of the game. He is the seventh highest wicket-taker for Pakistan in international cricket.</p>


Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar shared an emotional video from his hospital bed after undergoing knee surgery in Melbourne. One of the fastest bowlers to have graced the game, Akhtar was a nightmare to face for the best of batters during his playing days.

Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar shared an emotional video from his hospital bed after undergoing knee surgery in Melbourne. One of the fastest bowlers to have graced the game, Akhtar was a nightmare to face for the best of batters during his playing days. He was fondly called the 'Rawalpindi Express' for his brutal pace and continues to hold the record for bowling the fastest delivery in international cricket. But his fast bowling exploits came with a cost as Akhtar constantly faced knee issues throughout his career. The severe problems in his knee also saw him miss several matches for Pakistan throughout his international career. Akhtar has himself admitted in the past he has undergone several surgeries due to his knee issues. The legendary fast bowler underwent another surgery at a hospital in Melbourne recently. He took to social media to post a video from his hospital bed, urging his fans to pray for his recovery. An emotional Akhtar said he is in immense pain and hopefully will not have to undergo another surgery in his life. Also Read: 'I honestly don't know': Shikhar Dhawan on reason behind his absence from India's T20I squad "I have come out of the surgery and it went well. I am in pain and I need your prayers. Hopefully, this is my last surgery," said Akhtar in the video. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shoaib Akhtar (@imshoaibakhtar) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shoaib Akhtar (@imshoaibakhtar) × The former Pakistan pacer also claimed he would have played international cricket for another 4-5 years had it not been for his knee issues. Akhtar said even after eleven years of his retirement, his knee issues continue to haunt him showcasing the toll fast bowling took on his body. I am in huge pain even after 11 years of my retirement. I could have played for another four to five years. But I was aware that if I did, I would become wheelchair-bound. That’s the reason why I retired from cricket," said Akhtar. Also Read: Alyssa Healy issues clarification after facing backlash over 'salty' tweet post CWG win against India Akhtar made his debut for Pakistan in a Test match against West Indies in 1997 and gradually went on to become a vital cog in their pace attack. Known for his ruthless pace and aggressive style, Akhtar finished his career with a total of 444 international wickets across the three formats of the game. He is the seventh highest wicket-taker for Pakistan in international cricket.

'Hopefully, this is last..': Shoaib Akhtar shares emotional video from hospital bed after his knee surgery

<p>Shoaib Akhtar is gearing up for his biopic, titled ‘The Rawalpindi Express-Running against the odd’. The former Pakistan pacer revealed the same on Sunday (July 24) on Twitter, sending his fans into a frenzy. After the announcement, Akhtar also conducted a Q/A session with his ardent fans on the social media platform.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Q&amp;A for half an hour about this &amp; a lot more. Use the hashtag #RawalpindiExpressTheFilm and you may get lucky with a response,” tweeted Akhtar&nbsp;while commencing&nbsp;the one-off session.<br />
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During the interaction, a Twitter user asked him to describe India’s former captain Virat Kohli in one word. “One word for Virat Kohli #Rawalpindiexpressthefilm,” a fan asked Akhtar. To this, the Pakistani responded by terming Kohli an absolute legend of the gentlemen’s game.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Legend already</p>
— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) <a href="https://twitter.com/shoaib100mph/status/1551275295830933504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-surpass-pakistan-to-create-world-record-for-most-consecutive-bilateral-odi-series-wins-against-a-team-500394"><strong>India surpass Pakistan to create world record for most consecutive bilateral ODI series wins against a team</strong></a></p>

<p>Amid talks regarding Kohli's poor run of form at the international level, Akhtar had recently backed the Indian star batter. On his YouTube channel, Akhtar — one of the greatest pacers — had said, “Well, he has 70 hundreds. Woh 70 sau khaala ke ghar mein ya candy crush khelte huye nahi banein hain. (Those 70 tons were not scored in his aunt’s backyard or while playing Candy Crush).”</p>

<p>“How did you even imagine in your wildest dreams that Kohli can be dropped from Indian team? Virat Kohli is finished? Ok, fair enough. Virat Kohli should be dropped? Agreed. Now when I hear these things, I laugh and tell people, ‘Virat has been the greatest batter in the world in the last 10 years. Yes, he has had a couple of lean years and even in those years, he has scored runs if not hundreds. Suddenly, everyone getting up in arms against him, such a great player and a human being isn’t right,” he added.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/my-aim-is-to-win-asia-cup-t20-world-cup-2022-for-india-ready-to-do-anything-for-the-team-virat-kohli-500287"><strong>My aim is to win Asia Cup, T20 World Cup 2022 for India, ready to do anything for the team: Virat Kohli</strong></a></p>

<p>Talking of his biopic, Akhtar — who scalped 444 wickets overall and was known for his breathtaking speed with the ball —&nbsp;also revealed&nbsp;that he is the first Pakistani athlete who is set to have a foreign film.<br />
<br />
“Beginning of this beautiful journey. Announcing the launch of my story, my life, my Biopic: ‘RAWALPINDI EXPRESS - Running against the odds’. You’re in for a ride you’ve never taken before. First foreign film about a Pakistani Sportsman. Controversially yours, Shoaib Akhtar,” the former&nbsp;speedster said in his tweet.</p>

<p>His biopic is set to release late next year. Meanwhile, Kohli is not part of India’s white-ball tour of West Indies and is expected to join the team for the 2022 Asia Cup.</p>


Shoaib Akhtar is gearing up for his biopic, titled ‘The Rawalpindi Express-Running against the odd’. The former Pakistan pacer revealed the same on Sunday (July 24) on Twitter, sending his fans into a frenzy.

Shoaib Akhtar is gearing up for his biopic, titled ‘The Rawalpindi Express-Running against the odd’. The former Pakistan pacer revealed the same on Sunday (July 24) on Twitter, sending his fans into a frenzy. After the announcement, Akhtar also conducted a Q/A session with his ardent fans on the social media platform. “Q&A for half an hour about this & a lot more. Use the hashtag #RawalpindiExpressTheFilm and you may get lucky with a response,” tweeted Akhtar while commencing the one-off session. During the interaction, a Twitter user asked him to describe India’s former captain Virat Kohli in one word. “One word for Virat Kohli #Rawalpindiexpressthefilm,” a fan asked Akhtar. To this, the Pakistani responded by terming Kohli an absolute legend of the gentlemen’s game. Legend already — Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) July 24, 2022 × ALSO READ | India surpass Pakistan to create world record for most consecutive bilateral ODI series wins against a team Amid talks regarding Kohli's poor run of form at the international level, Akhtar had recently backed the Indian star batter. On his YouTube channel, Akhtar — one of the greatest pacers — had said, “Well, he has 70 hundreds. Woh 70 sau khaala ke ghar mein ya candy crush khelte huye nahi banein hain. (Those 70 tons were not scored in his aunt’s backyard or while playing Candy Crush).” “How did you even imagine in your wildest dreams that Kohli can be dropped from Indian team? Virat Kohli is finished? Ok, fair enough. Virat Kohli should be dropped? Agreed. Now when I hear these things, I laugh and tell people, ‘Virat has been the greatest batter in the world in the last 10 years. Yes, he has had a couple of lean years and even in those years, he has scored runs if not hundreds. Suddenly, everyone getting up in arms against him, such a great player and a human being isn’t right,” he added. ALSO READ | My aim is to win Asia Cup, T20 World Cup 2022 for India, ready to do anything for the team: Virat Kohli Talking of his biopic, Akhtar — who scalped 444 wickets overall and was known for his breathtaking speed with the ball — also revealed that he is the first Pakistani athlete who is set to have a foreign film. “Beginning of this beautiful journey. Announcing the launch of my story, my life, my Biopic: ‘RAWALPINDI EXPRESS - Running against the odds’. You’re in for a ride you’ve never taken before. First foreign film about a Pakistani Sportsman. Controversially yours, Shoaib Akhtar,” the former speedster said in his tweet. His biopic is set to release late next year. Meanwhile, Kohli is not part of India’s white-ball tour of West Indies and is expected to join the team for the 2022 Asia Cup.

Shoaib Akhtar wins hearts with epic response as Twitter user asks him to describe Virat Kohli in one word

<p>Rishabh Pant was one of the stars for Team India in their recently-concluded England tour. Pant started the tour by slamming a hundred in the one-off Test in Edgbaston. While he couldn't do much in the following T20Is and second and penultimate ODI, after not getting a chance to bat in the series opener, the swasbuckling left-hander scored his maiden 50-over ton to guide Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. to a memorable 2-1 series win in the third and final ODI on July 17 (Sunday).</p>

<p>Pant came out to bat with India in deep trouble, in pursuit of 260 in the series decider in Manchester, and stitched a memorable 133-run stand with all-rounder Hardik Pandya (55-ball 71). While Hardik departed for a well-compiled knock, Pant ensured India's 2-1 series victory by remaining unbeaten on 125, off 113 balls. He also did a fine job behind the stumps throughout the tour to raise his stocks further at the highest level.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/only-he-can-stop-himself-now-shoaib-akhtar-heaps-praise-on-rishabh-pant-after-his-stunning-ton-vs-england-498961">'Only he can stop himself now': Shoaib Akhtar heaps praise on Rishabh Pant after his stunning ton vs England</a></strong></p>

<p>Thus, Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar lauded Pant's growth and said in a video uploaded on his YouTube channel, "Rishabh Pant is a fearless cricketer. He has the cut shot, pull shot, reverse sweep, slog sweep and paddle sweep. He won the (Test) match in Australia, he won the match here (in England) and took India to a series victory single-handedly."</p>

<p>However, Akhtar wants&nbsp;Pant to focus on his fitness and lose some weight. The former pacer went onto add that he&nbsp;feels that the 24-year-old can become a model and earn crores by becoming fitter.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shoaib-akhtar-shares-advice-for-hardik-pandya-after-indias-successful-white-ball-series-vs-england-499084">Shoaib Akhtar shares advice for Hardik Pandya after India's successful white-ball series vs England</a></strong></p>

<p>"He is a little overweight. I hope he takes care of that. Because the Indian market is big. He's good-looking. He can emerge as a model, earn in crores. Because whenever a person becomes a superstar in India, a lot of investment is made on them," the legendary Pakistan pacer added.</p>

<p>Pant won't be part of the Shikhar Dhawan-led Indian team's three ODIs versus West Indies, in the Caribbean island, but will join the T20I squad for the following five-match series versus the two-time winners.&nbsp;</p>


Rishabh Pant was one of the stars for Team India in their recently-concluded England tour. Pant started the tour by slamming a hundred in the one-off Test in Edgbaston.

Rishabh Pant was one of the stars for Team India in their recently-concluded England tour. Pant started the tour by slamming a hundred in the one-off Test in Edgbaston. While he couldn't do much in the following T20Is and second and penultimate ODI, after not getting a chance to bat in the series opener, the swasbuckling left-hander scored his maiden 50-over ton to guide Rohit Sharma & Co. to a memorable 2-1 series win in the third and final ODI on July 17 (Sunday). Pant came out to bat with India in deep trouble, in pursuit of 260 in the series decider in Manchester, and stitched a memorable 133-run stand with all-rounder Hardik Pandya (55-ball 71). While Hardik departed for a well-compiled knock, Pant ensured India's 2-1 series victory by remaining unbeaten on 125, off 113 balls. He also did a fine job behind the stumps throughout the tour to raise his stocks further at the highest level. ALSO READ | 'Only he can stop himself now': Shoaib Akhtar heaps praise on Rishabh Pant after his stunning ton vs England Thus, Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar lauded Pant's growth and said in a video uploaded on his YouTube channel, "Rishabh Pant is a fearless cricketer. He has the cut shot, pull shot, reverse sweep, slog sweep and paddle sweep. He won the (Test) match in Australia, he won the match here (in England) and took India to a series victory single-handedly." However, Akhtar wants Pant to focus on his fitness and lose some weight. The former pacer went onto add that he feels that the 24-year-old can become a model and earn crores by becoming fitter. ALSO READ | Shoaib Akhtar shares advice for Hardik Pandya after India's successful white-ball series vs England "He is a little overweight. I hope he takes care of that. Because the Indian market is big. He's good-looking. He can emerge as a model, earn in crores. Because whenever a person becomes a superstar in India, a lot of investment is made on them," the legendary Pakistan pacer added. Pant won't be part of the Shikhar Dhawan-led Indian team's three ODIs versus West Indies, in the Caribbean island, but will join the T20I squad for the following five-match series versus the two-time winners.

Shoaib Akhtar urges Rishabh Pant to lose weight, feels youngster can 'become a model & earn crores'

<p>Hardik Pandya had a stellar run in Rohit Sharma-led India's successful white-ball series versus hosts England, which concluded on July 17 (Sunday) in Manchester. India won the three T20Is, 2-1, and also claimed the following three ODIs by the same margin to end a memorable tour of England.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Hardik impressed one and all with his all-round heroics throughout the white-ball leg, ending with the Player-of-the-Match in the opening T20I (for his maiden fifty and four-fer) and Player-of-the-Series in the ODIs, for his vital 55-ball 71 in the series finale and six scalps overall. Thus, the 28-year-old all-rounder remains in peak form ever since he made his return to competitive cricket since IPL 2022's commencement, where he led debutants Gujarat Titans (GT) to their maiden title.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-was-completely-sanjay-manjrekar-heaps-praise-on-rishabh-pant-hardik-pandya-after-england-odis-498851">'I was completely....' - Sanjay Manjrekar heaps praise on Rishabh Pant-Hardik Pandya after England ODIs</a></strong></p>

<p>Thus, Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar shared some advice for Hardik and lauded him for his memorable run versus England. “I was happy to see Hardik Pandya perform as a bowler as he brings an incredible balance to the team. I am also delighted that he has become serious about his fitness. He got a good shock when he was out of the team for 1-2 years as he was a bit unfit casual," Akhtar said&nbsp;on his YouTube channel.</p>

<section>
<p>“He seems to enjoy his life on the field. He should not enjoy much off the field as he is a rare talent. He is a great fielder, a great bowler, actually, he is a great addition to the pace battery. He outshone other bowlers and I would advice him to remain focused on his game," the former pacer&nbsp;asserted.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/only-he-can-stop-himself-now-shoaib-akhtar-heaps-praise-on-rishabh-pant-after-his-stunning-ton-vs-england-498961">'Only he can stop himself now': Shoaib Akhtar heaps praise on Rishabh Pant after his stunning ton vs England</a></strong></p>

<p>Hardik also achieved a rare feat in the third and final ODI versus Jos Buttler's England when he became only the fifth Indian to&nbsp;score a half-century and also account for four wickets in the same match. Thus, Akhtar opined on his batting and added,&nbsp;"He is a very good batter as he played very later and the number of compact shots that he has, I don’t have any doubt that he will become one of the best all-rounders in the world."</p>

<p>Hardik has been on a roll and will be eager to continue in a similar manner to guide India to their second title in the forthcoming T20 World Cup, in Australia.&nbsp;</p>
</section>


Hardik Pandya had a stellar run in Rohit Sharma-led India's successful white-ball series versus hosts England, which concluded on July 17 (Sunday) in Manchester.

Hardik Pandya had a stellar run in Rohit Sharma-led India's successful white-ball series versus hosts England, which concluded on July 17 (Sunday) in Manchester. India won the three T20Is, 2-1, and also claimed the following three ODIs by the same margin to end a memorable tour of England. Hardik impressed one and all with his all-round heroics throughout the white-ball leg, ending with the Player-of-the-Match in the opening T20I (for his maiden fifty and four-fer) and Player-of-the-Series in the ODIs, for his vital 55-ball 71 in the series finale and six scalps overall. Thus, the 28-year-old all-rounder remains in peak form ever since he made his return to competitive cricket since IPL 2022's commencement, where he led debutants Gujarat Titans (GT) to their maiden title. ALSO READ | 'I was completely....' - Sanjay Manjrekar heaps praise on Rishabh Pant-Hardik Pandya after England ODIs Thus, Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar shared some advice for Hardik and lauded him for his memorable run versus England. “I was happy to see Hardik Pandya perform as a bowler as he brings an incredible balance to the team. I am also delighted that he has become serious about his fitness. He got a good shock when he was out of the team for 1-2 years as he was a bit unfit casual," Akhtar said on his YouTube channel. “He seems to enjoy his life on the field. He should not enjoy much off the field as he is a rare talent. He is a great fielder, a great bowler, actually, he is a great addition to the pace battery. He outshone other bowlers and I would advice him to remain focused on his game," the former pacer asserted. ALSO READ | 'Only he can stop himself now': Shoaib Akhtar heaps praise on Rishabh Pant after his stunning ton vs England Hardik also achieved a rare feat in the third and final ODI versus Jos Buttler's England when he became only the fifth Indian to score a half-century and also account for four wickets in the same match. Thus, Akhtar opined on his batting and added, "He is a very good batter as he played very later and the number of compact shots that he has, I don’t have any doubt that he will become one of the best all-rounders in the world." Hardik has been on a roll and will be eager to continue in a similar manner to guide India to their second title in the forthcoming T20 World Cup, in Australia.

Shoaib Akhtar shares advice for Hardik Pandya after India's successful white-ball series vs England

<p>Pakistan's out-of-favour keeper-batter Kamran Akmal isn't one to shy away from expressing his opinions and recently lashed out at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for not allowing opener Ahmed Shehzad's entry into the high-performance camp.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While Shehzad was in the news recently when he slammed Waqar Younis -- former Pakistan bowling coach -- for his omission from the national squad and&nbsp;and stated that he was not allowed to tell his side of the story, the elder of the Akmal brothers, i.e. Kamran also spoke about Shehzad not being allowed to enter the high-performance training camp on Youtube channel&nbsp;paktv.tv.</p>

<p>“They don't allow him in the high-performance training camp. They told him that players who are out of the side for the past 2 years are not allowed. This is the state (of cricket here). They are basically denying entry to players who have represented Pakistan in 100-150 matches. I don't know where we are going,” Akmal said.</p>

<p>In addition, the 40-year-old Akmal claimed&nbsp;that the process of sending an email to PCB to enter the high-performance camp should be solely for the&nbsp;U-19 players and not for the ones who have represented the senior men's team for a good amount of time. In this regard, he opined, "You've made high-performance camp for cricketers. At least make it available for them. Now, you have to send e-mail to team's office before entering. What's the logic behind this? Even if you are making such SOPs, do this for U19 players."</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/abdullah-shafiques-158-propels-pakistan-to-their-2nd-highest-run-chase-beat-sri-lanka-in-galle-test-499148"><strong>Abdullah Shafique's 158* propels Pakistan to their 2nd-highest run-chase, beat Sri Lanka in Galle Test</strong></a></p>

<p>He shifted blame to current PCB chairman Ramiz Raja and pointed out, "When we were there, Ramiz bhai used to access the facilities inside the training camp. He knows these things. People should ask, why are these SOPs in place?</p>

<p>“He should take notice of this. Ramiz bhai used to come in the camp years after retiring from the game. Can the people at high performance camp dare to stop him now? Can they stop Wasim bhai, Shoaib Akhtar now? I was so sad when Ahmed was stopped from entering, they told him he can't use the facility because he has been out of the team for 2 years,” Akmal added.</p>

<p>Babar Azam-led Pakistan, on the other hand, completed their second-highest Test run-chase in Galle versus hosts Sri Lanka on Wednesday (July 20). Resuming their 342-run chase on Day 5, Pakistan rode on opener Abdullah Shafique's 158 not out to take his side to a stunning four-wicket win as Babar &amp; Co. go 1-0 up in the two-match series in the Island nation.</p>


Pakistan's out-of-favour keeper-batter Kamran Akmal isn't one to shy away from expressing his opinions and recently lashed out at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for not allowing opener Ahmed Shehzad's entry into the high-performance camp.

Pakistan's out-of-favour keeper-batter Kamran Akmal isn't one to shy away from expressing his opinions and recently lashed out at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for not allowing opener Ahmed Shehzad's entry into the high-performance camp. While Shehzad was in the news recently when he slammed Waqar Younis -- former Pakistan bowling coach -- for his omission from the national squad and and stated that he was not allowed to tell his side of the story, the elder of the Akmal brothers, i.e. Kamran also spoke about Shehzad not being allowed to enter the high-performance training camp on Youtube channel paktv.tv. “They don't allow him in the high-performance training camp. They told him that players who are out of the side for the past 2 years are not allowed. This is the state (of cricket here). They are basically denying entry to players who have represented Pakistan in 100-150 matches. I don't know where we are going,” Akmal said. In addition, the 40-year-old Akmal claimed that the process of sending an email to PCB to enter the high-performance camp should be solely for the U-19 players and not for the ones who have represented the senior men's team for a good amount of time. In this regard, he opined, "You've made high-performance camp for cricketers. At least make it available for them. Now, you have to send e-mail to team's office before entering. What's the logic behind this? Even if you are making such SOPs, do this for U19 players." ALSO READ | Abdullah Shafique's 158* propels Pakistan to their 2nd-highest run-chase, beat Sri Lanka in Galle Test He shifted blame to current PCB chairman Ramiz Raja and pointed out, "When we were there, Ramiz bhai used to access the facilities inside the training camp. He knows these things. People should ask, why are these SOPs in place? “He should take notice of this. Ramiz bhai used to come in the camp years after retiring from the game. Can the people at high performance camp dare to stop him now? Can they stop Wasim bhai, Shoaib Akhtar now? I was so sad when Ahmed was stopped from entering, they told him he can't use the facility because he has been out of the team for 2 years,” Akmal added. Babar Azam-led Pakistan, on the other hand, completed their second-highest Test run-chase in Galle versus hosts Sri Lanka on Wednesday (July 20). Resuming their 342-run chase on Day 5, Pakistan rode on opener Abdullah Shafique's 158 not out to take his side to a stunning four-wicket win as Babar & Co. go 1-0 up in the two-match series in the Island nation.

'Don't know where...': Kamran lashes out at PCB for preventing Shehzad's entry into high-performance camp

<p>Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar said only Rishabh Pant can stop himself as he heaped praise on the Indian wicket-keeper batter after his stunning century in the recently-concluded third and final ODI between India and England. Pant played a stellar knock of unbeaten 125 to help India beat England by 5 wickets and clinch the three-match series 2-1.</p>

<p>The legendary Pakistan pacer was left in awe of Pant's swashbuckling stroke play and courageous batting display during India's run-chase in the third ODI. Pant came out to bat at number 4 and soon after his arrival, India were left reeling on 72/4 during the 260-run chase.</p>

<p>Pant combined with Hardik Pandya to put on a 133 run-stand for the fifth wicket as the duo took the game away from England. Pant's unbeaten 125 was laced with 16 fours and 2 sixes as he was awarded the Man of the Match for one of the best innings played by a visiting batter on English soil.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/we-are-not-cars-you-can-fill-up-with-petrol-ben-stokes-explains-reason-behind-his-shock-odi-retirment-498946">We are not cars you can fill up with petrol: Ben Stokes explains reason behind his shock ODI retirement</a></p>

<p>Lauding Pant for his incredible knock, Akhtar called the Indian wicket-keeper a batter an incredibly courageous player who is not afraid of anything.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"He is not Rishabh Pant, he is Rishabh 'Phainta'. He is an incredibly courageous player. He cuts, he pulls, he also plays the reverse-sweep and isn't afraid of anything. He won games in Australia and even here, this series should be named after him," Akhtar said in a video on his YouTube channel.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/is-rishabh-pant-the-future-captain-after-rohit-sharma-former-india-batter-shares-his-take-498891">Is Rishabh Pant the future captain after Rohit Sharma? Former India batter shares his take</a></p>

<p>The legendary Pakistan pacer, however, advised Pant to continue working on his fitness as he feels the Indian wicket-keeper still needs to shed some weight. The Rawalpindi Express believes only Pant can stop himself now from achieving greatness for India in international cricket.</p>

<p>"My advice to him would be to improve his physique because he has the talent to put a number of teams into trouble. I was also impressed with the way he was so calculative in the chase. Once he is done pacing his innings, he becomes ruthless and knows how to accelerate. He can only stop himself now from here, I don't think anyone else can," said Akhtar as he lauded the Indian star.</p>


Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar said only Rishabh Pant can stop himself as he heaped praise on the Indian wicket-keeper batter after his stunning century in the recently-concluded third and final ODI between India and England.

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar said only Rishabh Pant can stop himself as he heaped praise on the Indian wicket-keeper batter after his stunning century in the recently-concluded third and final ODI between India and England. Pant played a stellar knock of unbeaten 125 to help India beat England by 5 wickets and clinch the three-match series 2-1. The legendary Pakistan pacer was left in awe of Pant's swashbuckling stroke play and courageous batting display during India's run-chase in the third ODI. Pant came out to bat at number 4 and soon after his arrival, India were left reeling on 72/4 during the 260-run chase. Pant combined with Hardik Pandya to put on a 133 run-stand for the fifth wicket as the duo took the game away from England. Pant's unbeaten 125 was laced with 16 fours and 2 sixes as he was awarded the Man of the Match for one of the best innings played by a visiting batter on English soil. Also Read: We are not cars you can fill up with petrol: Ben Stokes explains reason behind his shock ODI retirement Lauding Pant for his incredible knock, Akhtar called the Indian wicket-keeper a batter an incredibly courageous player who is not afraid of anything. "He is not Rishabh Pant, he is Rishabh 'Phainta'. He is an incredibly courageous player. He cuts, he pulls, he also plays the reverse-sweep and isn't afraid of anything. He won games in Australia and even here, this series should be named after him," Akhtar said in a video on his YouTube channel. Also Read: Is Rishabh Pant the future captain after Rohit Sharma? Former India batter shares his take The legendary Pakistan pacer, however, advised Pant to continue working on his fitness as he feels the Indian wicket-keeper still needs to shed some weight. The Rawalpindi Express believes only Pant can stop himself now from achieving greatness for India in international cricket. "My advice to him would be to improve his physique because he has the talent to put a number of teams into trouble. I was also impressed with the way he was so calculative in the chase. Once he is done pacing his innings, he becomes ruthless and knows how to accelerate. He can only stop himself now from here, I don't think anyone else can," said Akhtar as he lauded the Indian star.

'Only he can stop himself now': Shoaib Akhtar heaps praise on Rishabh Pant after his stunning ton vs England

<p>Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has slammed Virat Kohli's critics and come out in defence of the senior India batter amid criticism from all corners over his poor form. Kohli has been facing the heat from fans, experts and former cricketers as he continues to struggle to deliver for the Indian team across all formats of the game. Kohli has been enduring a lean patch with the willow for a while now.</p>

<p>His last century in international cricket came over 900 days ago in November 2019. He has since failed to breach the triple-figure mark in any format of the game and has been stuck on 70 centuries in international cricket. Kohli was enjoying incredible consistency and was breaking records for fun at one point in his career but his form has dipped sharply over the last couple of years.</p>

<p>After an average campaign in IPL 2022, Kohli made his comeback for the Indian team in their ongoing tour of England and has failed to spark a turnaround. He has so far managed a shambolic 59 runs in his last 5 innings for India against England in what has been a disastrous tour for him with several former cricketers and experts questioning his spot in India's T20I team.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-responds-to-babar-azams-stay-strong-tweet-amid-his-lean-patch-for-team-india-497999">&nbsp;Virat Kohli responds to Babar Azam's tweet after Pakistan skipper lends support amid his lean patch</a></p>

<p>However, Kohi has found support from Akhtar, who believes the Indian star is one of the greatest players in the present era and has been one of the best batters in the world in the last ten years. Highlighting his 70 international centuries, Akhtar said it's no small feat and not everyone has the right to criticise Kohli.</p>

<p>"I am hearing a lot of criticism surrounding Virat Kohli. People are telling me that Kohli is over, he won't be able to do anything, and I tell them that Kohli is the greatest player in the world over the last 10 years. Now in the last 1-2 years, where apparently he has not been good enough, it is not like he has not scored runs," Akhtar said in a video on his YouTube channel.</p>

<p>"I don't understand how people could even think about the prospect of dropping Kohli. I respect Kapil Dev, and it is his opinion, he is a legend so he can say it, but no one else can say it. As a Pakistani, I support Kohli because scoring 70 hundreds is no small feat, only a great player can do this," he added.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/1000-days-without-an-international-century-can-virat-kohli-avoid-unwanted-feat-in-3rd-odi-against-england-497948">1,000 days without an international century? Can Kohli avoid unwanted feat in 3rd ODI against England</a></p>

<p>Kohli has so far played 15 matches for India in 2022 and has scored 459 runs at an average of 25.50 across all three formats without a single century. He has 220 runs in 4 Tests, 158 runs in 7 ODIs and 81 runs in 4 T20Is for India so far this year. Kohli will be hoping to end the England tour on a high when India lock horns with the hosts in the final 3rd ODI on Sunday (July 17).</p>


Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has slammed Virat Kohli's critics and come out in defence of the senior India batter amid criticism from all corners over his poor form.

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has slammed Virat Kohli's critics and come out in defence of the senior India batter amid criticism from all corners over his poor form. Kohli has been facing the heat from fans, experts and former cricketers as he continues to struggle to deliver for the Indian team across all formats of the game. Kohli has been enduring a lean patch with the willow for a while now. His last century in international cricket came over 900 days ago in November 2019. He has since failed to breach the triple-figure mark in any format of the game and has been stuck on 70 centuries in international cricket. Kohli was enjoying incredible consistency and was breaking records for fun at one point in his career but his form has dipped sharply over the last couple of years. After an average campaign in IPL 2022, Kohli made his comeback for the Indian team in their ongoing tour of England and has failed to spark a turnaround. He has so far managed a shambolic 59 runs in his last 5 innings for India against England in what has been a disastrous tour for him with several former cricketers and experts questioning his spot in India's T20I team. Also Read: Virat Kohli responds to Babar Azam's tweet after Pakistan skipper lends support amid his lean patch However, Kohi has found support from Akhtar, who believes the Indian star is one of the greatest players in the present era and has been one of the best batters in the world in the last ten years. Highlighting his 70 international centuries, Akhtar said it's no small feat and not everyone has the right to criticise Kohli. "I am hearing a lot of criticism surrounding Virat Kohli. People are telling me that Kohli is over, he won't be able to do anything, and I tell them that Kohli is the greatest player in the world over the last 10 years. Now in the last 1-2 years, where apparently he has not been good enough, it is not like he has not scored runs," Akhtar said in a video on his YouTube channel. "I don't understand how people could even think about the prospect of dropping Kohli. I respect Kapil Dev, and it is his opinion, he is a legend so he can say it, but no one else can say it. As a Pakistani, I support Kohli because scoring 70 hundreds is no small feat, only a great player can do this," he added. Also Read: 1,000 days without an international century? Can Kohli avoid unwanted feat in 3rd ODI against England Kohli has so far played 15 matches for India in 2022 and has scored 459 runs at an average of 25.50 across all three formats without a single century. He has 220 runs in 4 Tests, 158 runs in 7 ODIs and 81 runs in 4 T20Is for India so far this year. Kohli will be hoping to end the England tour on a high when India lock horns with the hosts in the final 3rd ODI on Sunday (July 17).

70 tons is no small feat, don't understand how could people think about dropping Virat Kohli: Shoaib Akhtar

<p>All eyes are now on the 2022 T20 World Cup. All teams have dived into the preparations and will go all-out against each other in the showpiece event, which is set to be held in Australia from October-November. In the last edition, held in the UAE, Pakistan broke their World Cup jinx versus India and beat them comfortably, by ten wickets, to send their fans into a frenzy.</p>

<p>Ahead of India and Pakistan's much-awaited face-off in the 2022 edition, Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar has opened up on the much-anticipated clash and made a big claim.</p>

<p>"India will come up with proper planning this time around. It will not be easy for Pakistan to beat India in T20 WC this time. Predicting match results now is quite difficult but Pakistan should bowl second as [the] pitch in Melbourne offers bounce to fast bowlers,” Akhtar was quoted as saying by&nbsp;<em>Cricket Pakistan</em>.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-can-single-handedly-win-you-world-cups-former-india-selector-backs-under-fire-virat-kohli-496323"><strong>He can single-handedly win you World Cups: Former India selector backs under-fire Virat Kohli</strong></a></p>

<p>In the 2021 edition, Virat Kohli-led India were blown away by Babar Azam &amp; Co. courtesy of Shaheen Afridi's three-fer. Opting to bowl first, in Dubai, Pakistan restricted India to 158-7 before openers Babar and Md Rizwan's unbroken stand propelled the Men in Green to an easy ten-wicket win.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This time around, India will enter the marquee event with Rohit Sharma as the captain, who took over from Kohli last year. The Men in Blue have adopted an aggressive approach with the bat and will like to settle scores with Pakistan in the forthcoming tournament. Before the T20 WC, both sides will also meet in the Asia Cup 2022.</p>


All eyes are now on the 2022 T20 World Cup. All teams have dived into the preparations and will go all-out against each other in the showpiece event, which is set to be held in Australia from October-November.

All eyes are now on the 2022 T20 World Cup. All teams have dived into the preparations and will go all-out against each other in the showpiece event, which is set to be held in Australia from October-November. In the last edition, held in the UAE, Pakistan broke their World Cup jinx versus India and beat them comfortably, by ten wickets, to send their fans into a frenzy. Ahead of India and Pakistan's much-awaited face-off in the 2022 edition, Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar has opened up on the much-anticipated clash and made a big claim. "India will come up with proper planning this time around. It will not be easy for Pakistan to beat India in T20 WC this time. Predicting match results now is quite difficult but Pakistan should bowl second as [the] pitch in Melbourne offers bounce to fast bowlers,” Akhtar was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan. ALSO READ | He can single-handedly win you World Cups: Former India selector backs under-fire Virat Kohli In the 2021 edition, Virat Kohli-led India were blown away by Babar Azam & Co. courtesy of Shaheen Afridi's three-fer. Opting to bowl first, in Dubai, Pakistan restricted India to 158-7 before openers Babar and Md Rizwan's unbroken stand propelled the Men in Green to an easy ten-wicket win. This time around, India will enter the marquee event with Rohit Sharma as the captain, who took over from Kohli last year. The Men in Blue have adopted an aggressive approach with the bat and will like to settle scores with Pakistan in the forthcoming tournament. Before the T20 WC, both sides will also meet in the Asia Cup 2022.

'It will not be easy': Shoaib Akhtar explains why Pakistan might not be able to beat India in T20 WC 2022

<p>Fans were left baffled on social media after Indian pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled a '201 kmph' delivery in the first T20I against Ireland in Dublin on Sunday (June 26). Bhuvneshwar was once again the pick of the bowlers for the Indian team after producing an economical spell in the rain-affected 12-overs-per-side contest. He finished with excellent figures of 1/16 as India restricted Ireland to 108/4 and&nbsp;won&nbsp;the game by 7 wickets.</p>

<p>While Bhuvneshwar was lauded by many for his bowling exploits, fans were left stunned after witnessing the Indian pacer cross the 200 kmph barrier during the game. Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar holds the record for bowling the fastest delivery in international cricket at 161.3 kph.</p>

<p>So did Bhuvneshwar break Akhtar's record by bowling a 201 kmph delivery against Ireland? No, it was a technical error on the part of the speedometer. The incident happened in the very first over of the Ireland innings bowled by Bhuvneshwar. Due to an error on the part of the speed gun, Bhuvneshwar crossed the 200 kmph mark not once but twice in the same over.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/had-a-chat-with-him-hardik-pandya-explains-why-umran-malik-bowled-only-1-over-in-1st-t20i-vs-ireland-492129">'Had a chat with him': Hardik explains why Umran Malik bowled only 1 over in 1st T20I vs Ireland</a></p>

<p>While his first delivery was recorded at 201 kmph, the second one went up to 208 kmph resulting in hilarious reactions from fans on Twitter. While some compared Bhuvneshwar to the likes of Akhtar and India's latest pace sensation Umran Malik, some had a laugh at the expense of the speed gun error.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Shoaib Akhtar, Umran Malik who??? Bhuvi just bowled the fastest ball ever. Real pic, just took ss <a href="https://t.co/2wDDDJQ6gK">pic.twitter.com/2wDDDJQ6gK</a></p>
— Usama Kareem (@UsamaKarem2) <a href="https://twitter.com/UsamaKarem2/status/1541119124822278146?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="et"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IREvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IREvIND</a><br />
<br />
Bhuvi bowling with 208 km/h <a href="https://t.co/e9pTkYT5nb">pic.twitter.com/e9pTkYT5nb</a></p>
— A (@AppeFizzz) <a href="https://twitter.com/AppeFizzz/status/1541132342856585217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">If Hasan Ali can bowl at 219 KMPH<br />
<br />
Why can't Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowl at 201 KMPH <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IREvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IREvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/0YNfxvOAM5">pic.twitter.com/0YNfxvOAM5</a></p>
— Abhijeet (@TheYorkerBall) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheYorkerBall/status/1541131824092659712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="et">Bhuvneshwar Kumar just bowled 201 km/hr ball.<br />
<br />
Technical Glitch <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IREvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IREvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/U1DYD9orvi">pic.twitter.com/U1DYD9orvi</a></p>
— Piyush Yadav (@impy13ro45) <a href="https://twitter.com/impy13ro45/status/1541122354348437504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/deepak-hood-hardik-pandya-guide-india-to-7-wicket-win-over-ireland-in-rain-affected-1st-t20i-492111">Deepak Hooda, Hardik Pandya guide India to 7-wicket win over Ireland in rain-affected 1st T20I</a></p>

<p>While the two deliveries created a lot of buzz on social media due to the peed gun error, it was a terrific first over from Bhuvneshwar Kumar against Ireland where he conceded just 1 runs and picked up the wicket of Andrew Balbirnie. With the dismissa, Bhuvneshwar also achieved a new milestone in his international career as he became the bowler with highest wickets in Powerplay in T20I history.</p>

<p>After restricting Ireland on 108 runs, India chased down the target with 16 balls to spare to register a comfortable seven-wicket win. Deepak Hooda slammed an unbeaten 47 while Ishan Kishan (26) and Hardik Pandya (24) played crucial knocks to hlep India chase down the target of 109 runs easily and take 1-0 lead in the two-match series.</p>


Fans were left baffled on social media after Indian pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled a '201 kmph' delivery in the first T20I against Ireland in Dublin on Sunday (June 26).

Fans were left baffled on social media after Indian pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled a '201 kmph' delivery in the first T20I against Ireland in Dublin on Sunday (June 26). Bhuvneshwar was once again the pick of the bowlers for the Indian team after producing an economical spell in the rain-affected 12-overs-per-side contest. He finished with excellent figures of 1/16 as India restricted Ireland to 108/4 and won the game by 7 wickets. While Bhuvneshwar was lauded by many for his bowling exploits, fans were left stunned after witnessing the Indian pacer cross the 200 kmph barrier during the game. Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar holds the record for bowling the fastest delivery in international cricket at 161.3 kph. So did Bhuvneshwar break Akhtar's record by bowling a 201 kmph delivery against Ireland? No, it was a technical error on the part of the speedometer. The incident happened in the very first over of the Ireland innings bowled by Bhuvneshwar. Due to an error on the part of the speed gun, Bhuvneshwar crossed the 200 kmph mark not once but twice in the same over. Also Read: 'Had a chat with him': Hardik explains why Umran Malik bowled only 1 over in 1st T20I vs Ireland While his first delivery was recorded at 201 kmph, the second one went up to 208 kmph resulting in hilarious reactions from fans on Twitter. While some compared Bhuvneshwar to the likes of Akhtar and India's latest pace sensation Umran Malik, some had a laugh at the expense of the speed gun error. Shoaib Akhtar, Umran Malik who??? Bhuvi just bowled the fastest ball ever. Real pic, just took ss pic.twitter.com/2wDDDJQ6gK — Usama Kareem (@UsamaKarem2) June 26, 2022 × #IREvIND Bhuvi bowling with 208 km/h pic.twitter.com/e9pTkYT5nb — A (@AppeFizzz) June 26, 2022 × If Hasan Ali can bowl at 219 KMPH Why can't Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowl at 201 KMPH #IREvIND pic.twitter.com/0YNfxvOAM5 — Abhijeet (@TheYorkerBall) June 26, 2022 × Bhuvneshwar Kumar just bowled 201 km/hr ball. Technical Glitch #IREvIND pic.twitter.com/U1DYD9orvi — Piyush Yadav (@impy13ro45) June 26, 2022 × Also Read: Deepak Hooda, Hardik Pandya guide India to 7-wicket win over Ireland in rain-affected 1st T20I While the two deliveries created a lot of buzz on social media due to the peed gun error, it was a terrific first over from Bhuvneshwar Kumar against Ireland where he conceded just 1 runs and picked up the wicket of Andrew Balbirnie. With the dismissa, Bhuvneshwar also achieved a new milestone in his international career as he became the bowler with highest wickets in Powerplay in T20I history. After restricting Ireland on 108 runs, India chased down the target with 16 balls to spare to register a comfortable seven-wicket win. Deepak Hooda slammed an unbeaten 47 while Ishan Kishan (26) and Hardik Pandya (24) played crucial knocks to hlep India chase down the target of 109 runs easily and take 1-0 lead in the two-match series.

'Shoaib Akhtar who?': Twitter left baffled as Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowls '201 kmph' delivery vs Ireland

<p>MS Dhoni-led India created history by becoming the first-ever host nation to win a 50-over World Cup during the 2011 edition in the subcontinent. Dhoni &amp; Co. were favourites ahead of the tournament and beat teams like Australia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and many others to end with the elusive trophy&nbsp;and break their 28-year-long title drought.</p>

<p>During the second semi-finals, hosts India faced Shahid Afridi-led Pakistan, who came into the game without Shoaib Akhtar. Despite being in the squad, the Rawalpindi Express wasn't named in the playing XI and was declared "unfit" by the team management. Recently, Akhtar recalled the semi-final, held in Mohali, and stated it was "unfair" from the team management to drop him. He&nbsp;further added that had he played, he would've dismissed Indian openers Sachin Tendulkar (who was the Player-of-the-Match for his chancy 85) and Virender Sehwag (who gave the team a flying start).</p>

<p>“Mohali memory haunts me...that 2011 World Cup semi-final. They should have played me, they should have. It was completely unfair from the team management. I knew that I had just two matches left and I had this desire that at Wankhede the Pakistan flag is held high and the team is plays the final. I knew that India was under immense pressure. The entire nation and the media were looking up to the team which means we were the underdogs. So I believed that we shouldn't have taken the pressure,” Akhtar said in an interaction with Sportskeeda. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/throwback-when-rahul-dravids-flat-six-destroyed-a-spectators-beer-pint-in-india-england-odi-watch-487194"><strong>THROWBACK: When Rahul Dravid's flat six destroyed a spectator's beer pint in India-England ODI - WATCH</strong></a></p>

<p>“They told me I was unfit. But I went inside, I bowled eight straight overs during the warm-up. If I played that match, no matter what the consequence would have been, I would have dismissed Sachin and Sehwag. India would have collapsed if Sachin and Sehwag were dismissed early. I was really really hurt. So see that match for 5-6 hours and watch Pakistan lose from the dug-out...I am not that kind of person who cries but I'm a kind of person who breaks things. And I did break a few things in the dressing room because I was so sad, disappointed and furious and so was the entire nation. I knew that all it mattered was those first 10 overs,” the former pacer&nbsp;added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Talking about the contest, India opted to bat first and rode on Sehwag's 38, SRT's 85 and Suresh Raina's vital 36 to post 260/9. In reply, Afridi &amp; Co. were bowled out for 231 to lose by 29 runs. Later, Dhoni-led India beat Sri Lanka in the final to win the title.</p>


MS Dhoni-led India created history by becoming the first-ever host nation to win a 50-over World Cup during the 2011 edition in the subcontinent. Dhoni & Co. were favourites ahead of the tournament and beat teams like Australia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and many others to end with the elusive trophy and break their 28-year-long title drought.

MS Dhoni-led India created history by becoming the first-ever host nation to win a 50-over World Cup during the 2011 edition in the subcontinent. Dhoni & Co. were favourites ahead of the tournament and beat teams like Australia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and many others to end with the elusive trophy and break their 28-year-long title drought. During the second semi-finals, hosts India faced Shahid Afridi-led Pakistan, who came into the game without Shoaib Akhtar. Despite being in the squad, the Rawalpindi Express wasn't named in the playing XI and was declared "unfit" by the team management. Recently, Akhtar recalled the semi-final, held in Mohali, and stated it was "unfair" from the team management to drop him. He further added that had he played, he would've dismissed Indian openers Sachin Tendulkar (who was the Player-of-the-Match for his chancy 85) and Virender Sehwag (who gave the team a flying start). “Mohali memory haunts me...that 2011 World Cup semi-final. They should have played me, they should have. It was completely unfair from the team management. I knew that I had just two matches left and I had this desire that at Wankhede the Pakistan flag is held high and the team is plays the final. I knew that India was under immense pressure. The entire nation and the media were looking up to the team which means we were the underdogs. So I believed that we shouldn't have taken the pressure,” Akhtar said in an interaction with Sportskeeda. ALSO READ | THROWBACK: When Rahul Dravid's flat six destroyed a spectator's beer pint in India-England ODI - WATCH “They told me I was unfit. But I went inside, I bowled eight straight overs during the warm-up. If I played that match, no matter what the consequence would have been, I would have dismissed Sachin and Sehwag. India would have collapsed if Sachin and Sehwag were dismissed early. I was really really hurt. So see that match for 5-6 hours and watch Pakistan lose from the dug-out...I am not that kind of person who cries but I'm a kind of person who breaks things. And I did break a few things in the dressing room because I was so sad, disappointed and furious and so was the entire nation. I knew that all it mattered was those first 10 overs,” the former pacer added. Talking about the contest, India opted to bat first and rode on Sehwag's 38, SRT's 85 and Suresh Raina's vital 36 to post 260/9. In reply, Afridi & Co. were bowled out for 231 to lose by 29 runs. Later, Dhoni-led India beat Sri Lanka in the final to win the title.

'Had I played, would've dismissed SRT, Sehwag' - Akhtar shares 'haunting' memories from Indo-Pak CWC'11 SFs

<p>Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar recently revealed he intentionally wanted to hit Sachin Tendulkar during the Karachi Test between India and Pakistan in 2006. It was a memorable encounter between the two arch-rivals at the National Stadium in Karachi where Akhtar breathed fire with the ball against the Indian batters. Recalling the game, Akhtar said he was determined to wound Tendulkar at any cost during the match.</p>

<p>One of the fastest bowlers to have graced the game, Akhtar used to be a nightmare to face for the best of bowlers during his playing days. Famously known as the Rawalpindi express for his raw pace, Akhtar enjoyed some intense duels with Tendulkar on the field and Karachi Test was one of those.</p>

<p>Recalling the Test match, Akhtar said his intention was to hit Tendulkar and he even managed to rock his helmet with one of the deliveries which he thought would be enough to stop the Master Blaster, however, the batting legend managed to survive and batted well.</p>

<p>"I'm revealing this for the first time. I intentionally wanted to hit Sachin in that Test match. I was determined that I had to wound Sachin in that Test at any cost. Inzamam kept saying that bowl in front of the wickets, but I wanted to hit Sachin. So, I hit him on his helmet, and I felt he was done. But when I watched the video, I saw Sachin had managed to save his head," Akhtar said on Sportskeeda.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/harbhajan-singh-recalls-infamous-sreesanth-slapgate-row-i-made-a-mistake-it-should-not-have-happened-485244">Harbhajan recalls infamous Sreesanth slapgate row: 'I made a mistake, It should not have happened'</a></p>

<p>Akhtar then went on to reveal that he tried to injure Tendulkar once again after the batting maestro got away despite being hit on the helmet. The former Pakistan pacer also praised Mohammad Asif, who bowled exceedingly well in the game and troubled the Indian batters continuously.</p>

<p>"I again tried to injure him. But on the other hand, Indian batting was facing music in the shape of Asif. I had rarely seen anyone bowl as well as the way Asif bowled on that particular day," Akhtar added.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/want-virat-kohli-to-break-sachins-record-of-100-international-centuries-says-rohits-childhood-coach-485099">Want Virat Kohli to break Sachin's record of 100 international centuries, says Rohit's childhood coach</a></p>

<p>The match is famously known for Irfan Pathan's stunning hat-trick in the very first over of Pakistan's first innings. Irfan claimed a hat-trick in the first over to help India bundle out the hosts for 245 runs in their first innings.</p>

<p>However, India could manage only 238 runs in reply before Pakistan scored a mammoth 599 runs in their second innings and won the game comfortably by 341 runs. Asif was the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan with seven wickets across the two innings.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar recently revealed he intentionally wanted to hit Sachin Tendulkar during the Karachi Test between India and Pakistan in 2006.

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar recently revealed he intentionally wanted to hit Sachin Tendulkar during the Karachi Test between India and Pakistan in 2006. It was a memorable encounter between the two arch-rivals at the National Stadium in Karachi where Akhtar breathed fire with the ball against the Indian batters. Recalling the game, Akhtar said he was determined to wound Tendulkar at any cost during the match. One of the fastest bowlers to have graced the game, Akhtar used to be a nightmare to face for the best of bowlers during his playing days. Famously known as the Rawalpindi express for his raw pace, Akhtar enjoyed some intense duels with Tendulkar on the field and Karachi Test was one of those. Recalling the Test match, Akhtar said his intention was to hit Tendulkar and he even managed to rock his helmet with one of the deliveries which he thought would be enough to stop the Master Blaster, however, the batting legend managed to survive and batted well. "I'm revealing this for the first time. I intentionally wanted to hit Sachin in that Test match. I was determined that I had to wound Sachin in that Test at any cost. Inzamam kept saying that bowl in front of the wickets, but I wanted to hit Sachin. So, I hit him on his helmet, and I felt he was done. But when I watched the video, I saw Sachin had managed to save his head," Akhtar said on Sportskeeda. Also Read: Harbhajan recalls infamous Sreesanth slapgate row: 'I made a mistake, It should not have happened' Akhtar then went on to reveal that he tried to injure Tendulkar once again after the batting maestro got away despite being hit on the helmet. The former Pakistan pacer also praised Mohammad Asif, who bowled exceedingly well in the game and troubled the Indian batters continuously. "I again tried to injure him. But on the other hand, Indian batting was facing music in the shape of Asif. I had rarely seen anyone bowl as well as the way Asif bowled on that particular day," Akhtar added. Also Read: Want Virat Kohli to break Sachin's record of 100 international centuries, says Rohit's childhood coach The match is famously known for Irfan Pathan's stunning hat-trick in the very first over of Pakistan's first innings. Irfan claimed a hat-trick in the first over to help India bundle out the hosts for 245 runs in their first innings. However, India could manage only 238 runs in reply before Pakistan scored a mammoth 599 runs in their second innings and won the game comfortably by 341 runs. Asif was the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan with seven wickets across the two innings.

'Intentionally wanted to hit Sachin': Shoaib Akhtar recalls his fiery spell vs Tendulkar in 2006 Karachi Test

<p>Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has revealed why he used to love bowling bouncers against the batters during his playing days. One of the quickest bowlers to have played the game, Akhtar was a nightmare to face for the best of batters and he enjoyed some great duels with legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara and Ricky Ponting among others. On his day, Akhtar was almost unplayable and breathed fire with the ball.</p>

<p>Bowling bouncers to the batters was one of his strongest weapons and he utilised them fully to trouble them during his playing days. He even injured several batters with his deadly bouncers in international cricket and recently claimed he wanted to hit the batters on their heads as he had brute pace.</p>

<p>Opening up on his love for bouncers, Akhtar said he used to bowl them to make batters dance like monkeys. "I bowled bouncers because watching batters jump like monkeys was heartening to see. Not going to lie, I wanted to hit batters on the head as I had the pace. This is the perk of being a fast bowler, it simply has to happen," Akhtar said on <em>Sportskeeda.</em></p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kl-rahul-a-special-player-but-kohli-and-rohit-belong-in-a-different-league-says-former-pakistan-captain-484006">KL Rahul a special player but Kohli and Rohit belong in a different league, says former Pakistan captain</a></p>

<p>Further elaborating on his obsession with bouncers, Akhtar said he used them to terrorise the batters as he believed a batter should remember him while watching himself in the mirror after being hit by the Rawalpindi Express during a game.</p>

<p>"The adrenaline rush is there, the hair is flying, the heartbeat is 185+, you would surely not bowl fuller. It should hit on the body, aalu dikhe jism pe (swelling should be seen on the body). Whenever the batter sees himself in the mirror, he should remember me. This is true love," said the legendary pacer.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-hardik-pandya-to-ravindra-jadeja-how-new-captains-fared-in-ipl-2022-483927">&nbsp;From Hardik Pandya to Ravindra Jadeja: How new captains fared in IPL 2022?</a></p>

<p>Akhtar still continues to hold the record for the fastest delivery bowled in international cricket. He played 224 matches across formats in his international career and picked up an impressive 444 wickets. Akhtar continues to remain involved in the game as an expert after retiring as a player.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has revealed why he used to love bowling bouncers against the batters during his playing days. One of the quickest bowlers to have played the game, Akhtar was a nightmare to face for the best of batters and he enjoyed some great duels with legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara and Ricky Ponting among others.

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has revealed why he used to love bowling bouncers against the batters during his playing days. One of the quickest bowlers to have played the game, Akhtar was a nightmare to face for the best of batters and he enjoyed some great duels with legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara and Ricky Ponting among others. On his day, Akhtar was almost unplayable and breathed fire with the ball. Bowling bouncers to the batters was one of his strongest weapons and he utilised them fully to trouble them during his playing days. He even injured several batters with his deadly bouncers in international cricket and recently claimed he wanted to hit the batters on their heads as he had brute pace. Opening up on his love for bouncers, Akhtar said he used to bowl them to make batters dance like monkeys. "I bowled bouncers because watching batters jump like monkeys was heartening to see. Not going to lie, I wanted to hit batters on the head as I had the pace. This is the perk of being a fast bowler, it simply has to happen," Akhtar said on Sportskeeda. Also Read: KL Rahul a special player but Kohli and Rohit belong in a different league, says former Pakistan captain Further elaborating on his obsession with bouncers, Akhtar said he used them to terrorise the batters as he believed a batter should remember him while watching himself in the mirror after being hit by the Rawalpindi Express during a game. "The adrenaline rush is there, the hair is flying, the heartbeat is 185+, you would surely not bowl fuller. It should hit on the body, aalu dikhe jism pe (swelling should be seen on the body). Whenever the batter sees himself in the mirror, he should remember me. This is true love," said the legendary pacer. Also Read: From Hardik Pandya to Ravindra Jadeja: How new captains fared in IPL 2022? Akhtar still continues to hold the record for the fastest delivery bowled in international cricket. He played 224 matches across formats in his international career and picked up an impressive 444 wickets. Akhtar continues to remain involved in the game as an expert after retiring as a player.

Shoaib Akhtar on his love for bouncers: Watching batters jump like monkeys was heartening to see

<p>Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) made it to their third straight playoffs in the recently-concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. However, they failed to go the distance once again as their wait for their maiden IPL title got extended. While it was a great season for the franchise under new skipper Faf du Plessis, RCB superstar Virat Kohli had a forgetful campaign. Kohli struggled for consistency throughout the season and failed to fire with the bat.</p>

<p>A lot was expected from Kohli in IPL 2022 after he gave up captaincy last year and was playing only as a batter this season. He was expected to bat freely and pile on runs for his team but that was not the case as Kohli struggled to score runs against almost every team in the competition.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The batting maestro managed only 341 runs in 16 matches at a poor average of 22.73 and a below-par strike rate of 115.99. It was an abysmal season for the former RCB skipper, who was also dismissed on ducks thrice and was trolled heavily by a section of fans for his dismal show.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/no-virat-kohli-rohit-sharma-in-sachin-tendulkars-best-xi-from-ipl-2022-hardik-pandya-named-captain-483728">No Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma in Sachin Tendulkar's best XI from IPL 2022; Hardik Pandya named captain</a></p>

<p>However, Kohli has found support from the legendary Shoaib Akhtar after enduring a difficult season for RCB. The former Pakistan pacer has hit out at the critics of the RCB star and said he deserves respect for what he has done in international cricket and IPL. Kohli is the leading run-getter of all time in IPL history and has been one of India's best batters for several years now.</p>

<p>Akhtar called Kohli the greatest of all time and said as a Pakistani, he wishes to see the Indian batter play till the age of 45 and score as many as 10 international centuries. The legendary Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for scoring 100 centuries in international cricket and no batter has managed to come close to the feat. Kohli is the only active batter who can break Tendulkar's record as he has 70 hundreds to his name in international cricket at present.</p>

<p>“Before passing statements, people should understand that small kids look up to them. Say good things about Virat Kohli. Give him the respect he deserves. As a Pakistani, I am saying that he is the greatest player of all time. I want him to score 110 centuries in international cricket. I want him to play till the age of 45,” Akhtar said on Sportskeeda.</p>

<p>“This tough situation is preparing you for 110 centuries. People are writing you off, tweeting against you. If you tweet about Diwali, you are criticised. People tweet about your wife and kid. When you lose the World Cup, you are heavily criticised. Things cannot get any worse. Just go out there, and show everyone who Virat Kohli is,” he added.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mumbai-indians-fans-will-be-feeling-the-pain-ajay-jadeja-on-hardik-pandya-inspiring-gt-to-maiden-ipl-title-483780">Mumbai Indians fans will be feeling the pain: Ajay Jadeja on Hardik Pandya inspiring GT to maiden IPL title</a></p>

<p>Kohli has been rested from India's upcoming T20I series against South Africa at home along with several other senior players like Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah. He will be next seen in action when India travel to England for a one-off Test next month. Kohli will be hopeful of sparking a turnaround and scoring big in the Test match against England.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) made it to their third straight playoffs in the recently-concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. However, they failed to go the distance once again as their wait for their maiden IPL title got extended.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) made it to their third straight playoffs in the recently-concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. However, they failed to go the distance once again as their wait for their maiden IPL title got extended. While it was a great season for the franchise under new skipper Faf du Plessis, RCB superstar Virat Kohli had a forgetful campaign. Kohli struggled for consistency throughout the season and failed to fire with the bat. A lot was expected from Kohli in IPL 2022 after he gave up captaincy last year and was playing only as a batter this season. He was expected to bat freely and pile on runs for his team but that was not the case as Kohli struggled to score runs against almost every team in the competition. The batting maestro managed only 341 runs in 16 matches at a poor average of 22.73 and a below-par strike rate of 115.99. It was an abysmal season for the former RCB skipper, who was also dismissed on ducks thrice and was trolled heavily by a section of fans for his dismal show. Also Read: No Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma in Sachin Tendulkar's best XI from IPL 2022; Hardik Pandya named captain However, Kohli has found support from the legendary Shoaib Akhtar after enduring a difficult season for RCB. The former Pakistan pacer has hit out at the critics of the RCB star and said he deserves respect for what he has done in international cricket and IPL. Kohli is the leading run-getter of all time in IPL history and has been one of India's best batters for several years now. Akhtar called Kohli the greatest of all time and said as a Pakistani, he wishes to see the Indian batter play till the age of 45 and score as many as 10 international centuries. The legendary Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for scoring 100 centuries in international cricket and no batter has managed to come close to the feat. Kohli is the only active batter who can break Tendulkar's record as he has 70 hundreds to his name in international cricket at present. “Before passing statements, people should understand that small kids look up to them. Say good things about Virat Kohli. Give him the respect he deserves. As a Pakistani, I am saying that he is the greatest player of all time. I want him to score 110 centuries in international cricket. I want him to play till the age of 45,” Akhtar said on Sportskeeda. “This tough situation is preparing you for 110 centuries. People are writing you off, tweeting against you. If you tweet about Diwali, you are criticised. People tweet about your wife and kid. When you lose the World Cup, you are heavily criticised. Things cannot get any worse. Just go out there, and show everyone who Virat Kohli is,” he added. Also Read: Mumbai Indians fans will be feeling the pain: Ajay Jadeja on Hardik Pandya inspiring GT to maiden IPL title Kohli has been rested from India's upcoming T20I series against South Africa at home along with several other senior players like Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah. He will be next seen in action when India travel to England for a one-off Test next month. Kohli will be hopeful of sparking a turnaround and scoring big in the Test match against England.

Shoaib Akhtar slams Virat Kohli's critics: 'Give him the respect he deserves, he is the greatest of all time'

<p>Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has lauded Hardik Pandya for his terrific leadership in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Hardik has led his team Gujarat Titans (GT) into the final of the tournament in their debut campaign this season. The Titans made it to the summit clash after playing some brilliant cricket in the group stage and the playoffs and will be hoping to cap off a fairytale run with their maiden IPL trophy.</p>

<p>Hardik has been instrumental both as a leader and as an all-rounder in his franchise's dream run in IPL 2022. The star all-rounder was roped in by Gujarat Titans ahead of the ongoing season after being released by Mumbai Indians (MI). He was also appointed as the captain of the side and has been one of the stand-out leaders in this edition.</p>

<p>Gujarat Titans were the first team to qualify for the playoffs after reaching 18 points this season and the debutants also finished as the table toppers with a total of 20 points from the league stage. They went on to beat Rajasthan Royals in the 1st Qualifier to secure a spot in the final and will now be gunning for the trophy in the final.</p>

<p>Ahead of the final, Akhtar lauded Hardik and made a bold statement claiming that the star all-rounder can be an ideal replacement for Rohit Sharma as India's next captain in the future. Rohit recently took over from Virat Kohli as India's captain across all three formats.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/gujarat-titans-vs-rajasthan-royals-ipl-2022-final-shoaib-akhtar-matthew-hayden-pick-their-potential-winners-483226">IPL 2022 final: Shoaib Akhtar, Matthew Hayden pick their potential winners</a></p>

<p>However, the Hitman is 35 at present and his workload needs to be managed better in order to ensure he can continue playing at the highest level for longer. India will also look to groom new leaders under Rohit with the likes of KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah among&nbsp;great contenders to be the team's captain going forward.</p>

<p>However, Akhtar has backed Hardik to take over as India's captain and said the GT skipper is already knocking at the door for India captaincy with his rise as a leader in IPL 2022.&nbsp;“It is the fact that Hardik Pandya is leaving a mark. He is knocking on the door of Indian captaincy. One is not sure how long Rohit Sharma will continue as captain,” Akhtar said on<em>&nbsp;Sportskeeda.</em>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/can-rajasthan-royals-break-the-jinx-why-gujarat-titans-are-favourites-to-win-ipl-2022-title-483218">Can Rajasthan Royals break the jinx? Why Gujarat Titans are favourites to win IPL 2022 title</a></p>

<p>However, Akhtar also insisted that Hardik should focus on his fitness and ensure he can contribute both with the bat and the ball for the Indian team going forward. Hardik will make his comeback for the Men in Blue in the home T20I series against South Africa next month.</p>

<p>“It’s never easy to captain the Indian cricket team. Hardik has proved his point (as a leader) but he still needs to focus on his fitness and bowling. When he was fit as an all-rounder, he was an automatic choice in the Indian team. As a pure batter, though, there is no vacancy in the Indian team,” Akhtar added.</p>


Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has lauded Hardik Pandya for his terrific leadership in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Hardik has led his team Gujarat Titans (GT) into the final of the tournament in their debut campaign this season.

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has lauded Hardik Pandya for his terrific leadership in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Hardik has led his team Gujarat Titans (GT) into the final of the tournament in their debut campaign this season. The Titans made it to the summit clash after playing some brilliant cricket in the group stage and the playoffs and will be hoping to cap off a fairytale run with their maiden IPL trophy. Hardik has been instrumental both as a leader and as an all-rounder in his franchise's dream run in IPL 2022. The star all-rounder was roped in by Gujarat Titans ahead of the ongoing season after being released by Mumbai Indians (MI). He was also appointed as the captain of the side and has been one of the stand-out leaders in this edition. Gujarat Titans were the first team to qualify for the playoffs after reaching 18 points this season and the debutants also finished as the table toppers with a total of 20 points from the league stage. They went on to beat Rajasthan Royals in the 1st Qualifier to secure a spot in the final and will now be gunning for the trophy in the final. Ahead of the final, Akhtar lauded Hardik and made a bold statement claiming that the star all-rounder can be an ideal replacement for Rohit Sharma as India's next captain in the future. Rohit recently took over from Virat Kohli as India's captain across all three formats. Also Read: IPL 2022 final: Shoaib Akhtar, Matthew Hayden pick their potential winners However, the Hitman is 35 at present and his workload needs to be managed better in order to ensure he can continue playing at the highest level for longer. India will also look to groom new leaders under Rohit with the likes of KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah among great contenders to be the team's captain going forward. However, Akhtar has backed Hardik to take over as India's captain and said the GT skipper is already knocking at the door for India captaincy with his rise as a leader in IPL 2022. “It is the fact that Hardik Pandya is leaving a mark. He is knocking on the door of Indian captaincy. One is not sure how long Rohit Sharma will continue as captain,” Akhtar said on Sportskeeda. Also Read: Can Rajasthan Royals break the jinx? Why Gujarat Titans are favourites to win IPL 2022 title However, Akhtar also insisted that Hardik should focus on his fitness and ensure he can contribute both with the bat and the ball for the Indian team going forward. Hardik will make his comeback for the Men in Blue in the home T20I series against South Africa next month. “It’s never easy to captain the Indian cricket team. Hardik has proved his point (as a leader) but he still needs to focus on his fitness and bowling. When he was fit as an all-rounder, he was an automatic choice in the Indian team. As a pure batter, though, there is no vacancy in the Indian team,” Akhtar added.

Hardik to replace Rohit? Shoaib Akhtar feels GT skipper is knocking on the door for India captaincy

<p>Former Pakistan cricket team fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar picked Gujarat Titans to win the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 final against Rajasthan Royals but added that Sanju Samson &amp; Co will be motivated to claim the title in honour of Royals legend Shane Warne. GT topped the table at the end of the group stage while RR were second with two points less than their opponents. But Pandya has led him to victory on both the occasions when they have faced RR including in the Qualifier 1. In a conversation with Sportskeeda, Akhtar said that he wants the debutants to clinch the IPL title.</p>

<p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-jos-buttler-on-the-verge-of-breaking-david-warners-elite-record-in-final-against-gujarat-titans-483180" hreflang="en">Buttler on the verge of breaking Warner's elite record in IPL 2022 final vs GT</a></p>

<p>“One team (Rajasthan) has made the final after 14 years. In memory of Shane Warne, I hope Rajasthan go out there and smash Gujarat. Heart says, ‘RR win it for Shane Warne’. They have faced a lot of difficulties to reach the final after 14 years. But, as I had said earlier, I also always wanted one of the new teams to win because they have played so well. I will go with Gujarat,” said Shoaib.</p>

<p>“Both Rajasthan and Gujarat will be nervous. RR will have a point to prove as they have made the final for the first time since 2008. They will be excited, and their aggression will be over the moon. On the other hand, Gujarat will also want to leave their mark in their first season” he added.</p>

<p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/gujarat-titans-vs-rajasthan-royals-ipl-2022-final-head-to-head-stats-trivia-and-predicted-playing-xis-483211" hreflang="en">GT vs RR, IPL 2022 final: Head-to-head, stats, trivia and predicted playing XI</a></p>

<p>Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden praised Gujarat Titans but also pointed out an ominous sign for them during a show on Star Sports. “Their 4,5,6 have just been out of this world. But with this bouncy wicket which is very similar to Australian wicket so that could be really ominous sign for Gujarat Titans," the former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) opener explained.</p>


Former Pakistan cricket team fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar picked Gujarat Titans to win the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 final against Rajasthan Royals but added that Sanju Samson & Co will be motivated to claim the title in honour of Royals legend Shane Warne.

Former Pakistan cricket team fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar picked Gujarat Titans to win the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 final against Rajasthan Royals but added that Sanju Samson & Co will be motivated to claim the title in honour of Royals legend Shane Warne. GT topped the table at the end of the group stage while RR were second with two points less than their opponents. But Pandya has led him to victory on both the occasions when they have faced RR including in the Qualifier 1. In a conversation with Sportskeeda, Akhtar said that he wants the debutants to clinch the IPL title. Also read | Buttler on the verge of breaking Warner's elite record in IPL 2022 final vs GT “One team (Rajasthan) has made the final after 14 years. In memory of Shane Warne, I hope Rajasthan go out there and smash Gujarat. Heart says, ‘RR win it for Shane Warne’. They have faced a lot of difficulties to reach the final after 14 years. But, as I had said earlier, I also always wanted one of the new teams to win because they have played so well. I will go with Gujarat,” said Shoaib. “Both Rajasthan and Gujarat will be nervous. RR will have a point to prove as they have made the final for the first time since 2008. They will be excited, and their aggression will be over the moon. On the other hand, Gujarat will also want to leave their mark in their first season” he added. Also read | GT vs RR, IPL 2022 final: Head-to-head, stats, trivia and predicted playing XI Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden praised Gujarat Titans but also pointed out an ominous sign for them during a show on Star Sports. “Their 4,5,6 have just been out of this world. But with this bouncy wicket which is very similar to Australian wicket so that could be really ominous sign for Gujarat Titans," the former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) opener explained.

Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals, IPL 2022 final: Shoaib Akhtar, Matthew Hayden pick their potential winners

<p>KL Rahul has become an integral part of Team India across all formats of the game. Rahul, who debuted for India in late 2014, has shown his class as a batter by batting in various positions and is now also the vice-captain in all formats ever since Rohit Sharma took over from Virat Kohli. While Rahul's stature is growing with each year, Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar has credited Kohli for the former's rise.</p>

<p>Akhtar feels Kohli backed Rahul to the core when he broke into the scene and pushed him up the batting order to make him a permanent member across formats.&nbsp;"Virat Kohli invested a lot in KL Rahul (when he was the Indian captain). He pushed him up to open and made him a permanent member of the Indian team. Rahul is a nice and sensible guy. He has been able to prove himself and has successfully shown that he is a serious contender for India and in the IPL as well. I think KL Rahul is going to be a major factor in the match," Akhtar said in a video on Sportskeeda.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/former-chief-selector-reacts-to-cheteshwar-pujaras-test-comeback-for-india-england-series-finale-482085">Former chief selector reacts to Cheteshwar Pujara's Test comeback for India-England series finale</a></strong></p>

<p>Ahead of IPL 2022's Eliminator -- where Kohli-starrer Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) face Rahul-led Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata -- Akhtar shared a word of advice for Rahul.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The two new teams, Lucknow and Gujarat, had to prove a point and they have been doing that very well. I would go with KL Rahul (for this game). Let’s see if Rahul is able to get crowd support by controlling the game. He needs to focus hard on those two seconds every ball," he added.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/virat-rohits-barren-run-to-mi-csks-mighty-fall-5-surprising-elements-from-ipl-2022s-league-stage-481871"><strong>Virat, Rohit's barren run to MI-CSK's mighty fall: 5 surprising elements from IPL 2022's league stage</strong></a></p>

<p>The winner of the Eliminator will face Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Qualifier 2 to book a place in the season finale, with Gujarat Titans (GT) already confirming a spot on Tuesday evening (May 24).</p>


KL Rahul has become an integral part of Team India across all formats of the game. Rahul, who debuted for India in late 2014, has shown his class as a batter by batting in various positions and is now also the vice-captain in all formats ever since Rohit Sharma took over from Virat Kohli.

KL Rahul has become an integral part of Team India across all formats of the game. Rahul, who debuted for India in late 2014, has shown his class as a batter by batting in various positions and is now also the vice-captain in all formats ever since Rohit Sharma took over from Virat Kohli. While Rahul's stature is growing with each year, Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar has credited Kohli for the former's rise. Akhtar feels Kohli backed Rahul to the core when he broke into the scene and pushed him up the batting order to make him a permanent member across formats. "Virat Kohli invested a lot in KL Rahul (when he was the Indian captain). He pushed him up to open and made him a permanent member of the Indian team. Rahul is a nice and sensible guy. He has been able to prove himself and has successfully shown that he is a serious contender for India and in the IPL as well. I think KL Rahul is going to be a major factor in the match," Akhtar said in a video on Sportskeeda. ALSO READ | Former chief selector reacts to Cheteshwar Pujara's Test comeback for India-England series finale Ahead of IPL 2022's Eliminator -- where Kohli-starrer Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) face Rahul-led Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata -- Akhtar shared a word of advice for Rahul. "The two new teams, Lucknow and Gujarat, had to prove a point and they have been doing that very well. I would go with KL Rahul (for this game). Let’s see if Rahul is able to get crowd support by controlling the game. He needs to focus hard on those two seconds every ball," he added. ALSO READ | Virat, Rohit's barren run to MI-CSK's mighty fall: 5 surprising elements from IPL 2022's league stage The winner of the Eliminator will face Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Qualifier 2 to book a place in the season finale, with Gujarat Titans (GT) already confirming a spot on Tuesday evening (May 24).

Virat Kohli invested a lot in him: Shoaib Akhtar lauds ex-India captain for KL Rahul's rise

<p>Former Indian opener-turned-commentator Virender Sehwag recently made heads turn with his remark&nbsp;on Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar. While Akhtar was a force to reckon with and was an integral part&nbsp;of Pakistan's pace attack during his playing days, his international career was marred with several controversies, including his bowling action.</p>

<p>In this regard, Sehwag made a big claim that Akhtar used to jerk his elbow while bowling.&nbsp;"Shoaib knows he used to jerk his elbow; he knew he was chucking too. Why would ICC ban him otherwise?. Brett Lee's hand came down straight, so it was easy to pick the ball. But with Shoaib, you could never guess where the hand and the ball will come from,”&nbsp;Sehwag had told Sports 18.</p>

<p>While many waited for Akhtar's response following Sehwag's comment, the former speedster -- who ended with 444 international scalps -- has now opened up on the ex-Indian opener's recent allegations. "I would request Sehwag to not pass such comments. If Sehwag knows more than ICC, he is entitled to his opinion. My statement to Sehwag will be a bit different. I feel he was one of the greatest match-winners India has ever produced. He was a team man and among the greatest openers to have ever played for India."</p>

<p>“At the moment, I am at that stage and age where I'm careful while dishing out my opinions. I don't want to pass a comment or insult any player who has played on the national level. I haven't seen the interview. Sehwag is a close friend but I don't know if he has commented jokingly or if he is being serious,”&nbsp;Akhtar told&nbsp;Sportskeeda.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/used-to-pull-truck-for-around-8-km-shoaib-akhtar-makes-glaring-remark-reveals-how-he-broke-160kph-barrier-480195"><strong>Used to pull truck for around 8 km: Shoaib Akhtar makes glaring remark, reveals how he broke 160kph barrier</strong></a></p>

<p>"Cricketers should make sure their statements don't disturb the harmony between India and Pakistan. If there's a scope for improvement in relations between the two countries, I should be able to play that bridge. I request Sehwag to be mindful while making such statements in the age of social media,” Akhtar added.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nobody-would-remember-me-if-i-scored-tons-at-sachin-gangulys-pace-says-ex-indian-opener-virender-sehwag-479904"><strong>Nobody would remember me if I scored tons at Sachin, Ganguly's pace, says ex-Indian opener Virender Sehwag</strong></a></p>

<p>Akhtar and Sehwag shared a great rivalry during their playing days. The duo have remained friends off the field as well but it will be interesting to see if shots continue to be fired from both ends after the 'chucking' remark.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At present, Akhtar continues to remain vocal on various aspects of the gentlemen's game whereas Sehwag has kept himself busy as a cricket expert during the ongoing IPL 2022 edition.</p>


Former Indian opener-turned-commentator Virender Sehwag recently made heads turn with his remark on Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar. While Akhtar was a force to reckon with and was an integral part of Pakistan's pace attack during his playing days, his international career was marred with several controversies, including his bowling action.

Former Indian opener-turned-commentator Virender Sehwag recently made heads turn with his remark on Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar. While Akhtar was a force to reckon with and was an integral part of Pakistan's pace attack during his playing days, his international career was marred with several controversies, including his bowling action. In this regard, Sehwag made a big claim that Akhtar used to jerk his elbow while bowling. "Shoaib knows he used to jerk his elbow; he knew he was chucking too. Why would ICC ban him otherwise?. Brett Lee's hand came down straight, so it was easy to pick the ball. But with Shoaib, you could never guess where the hand and the ball will come from,” Sehwag had told Sports 18. While many waited for Akhtar's response following Sehwag's comment, the former speedster -- who ended with 444 international scalps -- has now opened up on the ex-Indian opener's recent allegations. "I would request Sehwag to not pass such comments. If Sehwag knows more than ICC, he is entitled to his opinion. My statement to Sehwag will be a bit different. I feel he was one of the greatest match-winners India has ever produced. He was a team man and among the greatest openers to have ever played for India." “At the moment, I am at that stage and age where I'm careful while dishing out my opinions. I don't want to pass a comment or insult any player who has played on the national level. I haven't seen the interview. Sehwag is a close friend but I don't know if he has commented jokingly or if he is being serious,” Akhtar told Sportskeeda. ALSO READ | Used to pull truck for around 8 km: Shoaib Akhtar makes glaring remark, reveals how he broke 160kph barrier "Cricketers should make sure their statements don't disturb the harmony between India and Pakistan. If there's a scope for improvement in relations between the two countries, I should be able to play that bridge. I request Sehwag to be mindful while making such statements in the age of social media,” Akhtar added. ALSO READ | Nobody would remember me if I scored tons at Sachin, Ganguly's pace, says ex-Indian opener Virender Sehwag Akhtar and Sehwag shared a great rivalry during their playing days. The duo have remained friends off the field as well but it will be interesting to see if shots continue to be fired from both ends after the 'chucking' remark. At present, Akhtar continues to remain vocal on various aspects of the gentlemen's game whereas Sehwag has kept himself busy as a cricket expert during the ongoing IPL 2022 edition.

'Cricketers must ensure harmony between India-Pakistan' - Akhtar on Sehwag's 'chucking' allegation

<p>Shoaib Akhtar remains a huge name in world cricket. Akhtar ended his illustrious international career with a total of 444 scalps. He was known for his ferocious pace, bounce and ability to rattle the batter's mind even before bowling to him.&nbsp;</p>

<p>During the 2003 ODI World Cup, the former Pakistan speedster Akhtar -- also known as the Rawalpindi Express -- had made heads turn by bowling the fastest delivery in cricketing history; bowling at a mammoth&nbsp;161.3 kph (100.23 mph) in a group stage match versus England at Cape Town. Recently, the legendary pacer revealed how he clocked the 160kph mark at the international level.</p>

<p>“When you touch 155 kph as a bowler, remember that you have another 5 kph inside you. However, adding that extra pace to your bowling requires specific training. Before I broke the 100 miles record, I was bowling at speeds of 157-158 kph but I was not able to reach 160. I was a bit baffled over the same, wondering why it was not happening,” Akhtar said while talking to Sportskeeda.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/arif-malik-decided-to-invite-virat-kohli-not-me-kashmir-premier-leagues-director-rashid-latif-480177"><strong>Arif Malik decided to invite Virat Kohli, not me: Kashmir Premier League's Director Rashid Latif</strong></a></p>

<p>“I began by running with tires but soon realised that they are light. Next, I started pulling small vehicles with my shoulders. There is less public in Islamabad, so I used to pull vehicles in the night. I used to match its speed with the pace of my run-up. I realised that the vehicle is also small, so I started pulling a truck. I used to pull a truck for around 8 km," Akhtar added.</p>

<p>Akhtar remains an inspiration for many bidding pacers across the globe. Many have imitated his action as well in the past. However, it would take them a whole lot of effort to come anywhere near Akhtar's illustrious feat, i.e. of bowling the fastest delivery in international cricket.</p>


Shoaib Akhtar remains a huge name in world cricket. Akhtar ended his illustrious international career with a total of 444 scalps. He was known for his ferocious pace, bounce and ability to rattle the batter's mind even before bowling to him.

Shoaib Akhtar remains a huge name in world cricket. Akhtar ended his illustrious international career with a total of 444 scalps. He was known for his ferocious pace, bounce and ability to rattle the batter's mind even before bowling to him. During the 2003 ODI World Cup, the former Pakistan speedster Akhtar -- also known as the Rawalpindi Express -- had made heads turn by bowling the fastest delivery in cricketing history; bowling at a mammoth 161.3 kph (100.23 mph) in a group stage match versus England at Cape Town. Recently, the legendary pacer revealed how he clocked the 160kph mark at the international level. “When you touch 155 kph as a bowler, remember that you have another 5 kph inside you. However, adding that extra pace to your bowling requires specific training. Before I broke the 100 miles record, I was bowling at speeds of 157-158 kph but I was not able to reach 160. I was a bit baffled over the same, wondering why it was not happening,” Akhtar said while talking to Sportskeeda. ALSO READ | Arif Malik decided to invite Virat Kohli, not me: Kashmir Premier League's Director Rashid Latif “I began by running with tires but soon realised that they are light. Next, I started pulling small vehicles with my shoulders. There is less public in Islamabad, so I used to pull vehicles in the night. I used to match its speed with the pace of my run-up. I realised that the vehicle is also small, so I started pulling a truck. I used to pull a truck for around 8 km," Akhtar added. Akhtar remains an inspiration for many bidding pacers across the globe. Many have imitated his action as well in the past. However, it would take them a whole lot of effort to come anywhere near Akhtar's illustrious feat, i.e. of bowling the fastest delivery in international cricket.

Used to pull truck for around 8 km: Shoaib Akhtar makes glaring remark, reveals how he broke 160kph barrier

<p>Former India cricketer Virender Sehwag has made a controversial claim regarding Ex-Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar's action. Famously known as the Rawalpindi Express, Akhtar is regarded as one of the fastest bowlers of all time and also holds the record for bowling the quickest delivery in international cricket.</p>

<p>During his peak, Akhtar was a nightmare for every batter with his brute pace. He used to trouble the best of batters with the ball and enjoyed some intense on-field duels with Sehwag, who got the better of Akhtar on several occasions. The former India opener recently claimed Akhtar used to chuck while bowling in international cricket.</p>

<p>Calling out Akhtar, Sehwag said the former Pakistan fast bowler was aware that he was chucking and that his action was not legal. The ex-India opener pointed out ICC's ban on Akhtar for his illegal action to further support his claim. It was in 1999 that Akhtar was banned by ICC for a month for chucking before returning with a remodelled action.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kashmir-premier-league-to-formally-invite-indian-star-virat-kohli-to-feature-in-2nd-edition-report-479784">Kashmir Premier League to formally invite Indian star Virat Kohli to feature in 2nd edition: Report</a></p>

<p>“Shoaib knows he used to jerk his elbow; he knew he was chucking too. Why would ICC ban him otherwise?” Sehwag said while speaking on <em>Sports 18.</em>&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Brett Lee’s hand came down straight, so it was easy to pick the ball. But with Shoaib, you could never guess where the hand and the ball will come from," he added.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-started-doing-cpr-and-checked-his-pulse-local-man-recalls-coming-to-late-andrew-symonds-aid-479761">'I started doing CPR and checked his pulse' - Local man recalls coming to late Andrew Symonds' aid</a></p>

<p>While he called Akhtar his 'boundary bowler', Sehwag picked former Australian pacer Brett Lee as the easier one to face between him and the Rawalpindi Express. Sehwag said he could not trust Akhtar with what he would throw at him next after being struck for two boundaries on the previous deliveries.</p>

<p>“I never feared facing Brett Lee, but with Shoaib, I could not trust what he would do if I hit him twice to the fence. Maybe a beamer or a toe-crushing yorker,” explained Sehwag.</p>


Former India cricketer Virender Sehwag has made a controversial claim regarding Ex-Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar's action. Famously known as the Rawalpindi Express, Akhtar is regarded as one of the fastest bowlers of all time and also holds the record for bowling the quickest delivery in international cricket.

Former India cricketer Virender Sehwag has made a controversial claim regarding Ex-Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar's action. Famously known as the Rawalpindi Express, Akhtar is regarded as one of the fastest bowlers of all time and also holds the record for bowling the quickest delivery in international cricket. During his peak, Akhtar was a nightmare for every batter with his brute pace. He used to trouble the best of batters with the ball and enjoyed some intense on-field duels with Sehwag, who got the better of Akhtar on several occasions. The former India opener recently claimed Akhtar used to chuck while bowling in international cricket. Calling out Akhtar, Sehwag said the former Pakistan fast bowler was aware that he was chucking and that his action was not legal. The ex-India opener pointed out ICC's ban on Akhtar for his illegal action to further support his claim. It was in 1999 that Akhtar was banned by ICC for a month for chucking before returning with a remodelled action. Also Read: Kashmir Premier League to formally invite Indian star Virat Kohli to feature in 2nd edition: Report “Shoaib knows he used to jerk his elbow; he knew he was chucking too. Why would ICC ban him otherwise?” Sehwag said while speaking on Sports 18. “Brett Lee’s hand came down straight, so it was easy to pick the ball. But with Shoaib, you could never guess where the hand and the ball will come from," he added. Also Read: 'I started doing CPR and checked his pulse' - Local man recalls coming to late Andrew Symonds' aid While he called Akhtar his 'boundary bowler', Sehwag picked former Australian pacer Brett Lee as the easier one to face between him and the Rawalpindi Express. Sehwag said he could not trust Akhtar with what he would throw at him next after being struck for two boundaries on the previous deliveries. “I never feared facing Brett Lee, but with Shoaib, I could not trust what he would do if I hit him twice to the fence. Maybe a beamer or a toe-crushing yorker,” explained Sehwag.

Why would ICC ban him otherwise? Shoaib Akhtar knew he was chucking, says Virender Sehwag

<p>It has been a season to remember for young fast bowler Umran Malik who has impressed everyone with his express pace in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. The youngster has earned praises from experts and spectators alike for his bowling and former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar believes Malik can be the one to beat his record of bowling the fastest delivery in world cricket. Akhtar holds the record with 161.3 kmph against England in the 2003 ICC World Cup.</p>

<p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-was-a-bit-disappointed-csk-ceo-explains-reason-behind-ambati-rayudus-ipl-retirement-tweet-478957" hreflang="en">CSK CEO explains reason behind Ambati Rayudu's IPL retirement tweet</a></p>

<p>"For the first time I have seen someone who is bowling 150kmph + consistently and I will be happy if he (Umran) breaks my record (of fastest delivery). Tode, jarur tode, and bagiar apne ko tode huae tode, (break, definitely break, but not yourself). I want to see his long career. Only a few days back, someone was saying to me that it has been 20 years and your record is still not broken. But I believe records are meant to be broken and I will be happy if he (Umran) does that," he told Sportskeeda.</p>

<p>"I want to see him on the world stage because that is where he belongs to. I definitely want him to keep this 100mph mark in his mind and join that special club," he added.</p>

<p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-is-cool-calm-and-collected-brad-hogg-picks-new-ipl-captain-who-has-traits-like-ms-dhoni-478942" hreflang="en">'He is calm &amp; collected': Hogg picks new IPL captain who has Dhoni's traits</a></p>

<p>Malik has been bowling over the 150 kmph mark regularly and his fastest delivery came against Delhi Capitals as he bowled a 157 kmph delivery against Rovman Powell. Malik is currently in contention for a spot in the India squad for the upcoming white ball series against South Africa.</p>


It has been a season to remember for young fast bowler Umran Malik who has impressed everyone with his express pace in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022.

It has been a season to remember for young fast bowler Umran Malik who has impressed everyone with his express pace in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. The youngster has earned praises from experts and spectators alike for his bowling and former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar believes Malik can be the one to beat his record of bowling the fastest delivery in world cricket. Akhtar holds the record with 161.3 kmph against England in the 2003 ICC World Cup. Also read | CSK CEO explains reason behind Ambati Rayudu's IPL retirement tweet "For the first time I have seen someone who is bowling 150kmph + consistently and I will be happy if he (Umran) breaks my record (of fastest delivery). Tode, jarur tode, and bagiar apne ko tode huae tode, (break, definitely break, but not yourself). I want to see his long career. Only a few days back, someone was saying to me that it has been 20 years and your record is still not broken. But I believe records are meant to be broken and I will be happy if he (Umran) does that," he told Sportskeeda. "I want to see him on the world stage because that is where he belongs to. I definitely want him to keep this 100mph mark in his mind and join that special club," he added. Also read | 'He is calm & collected': Hogg picks new IPL captain who has Dhoni's traits Malik has been bowling over the 150 kmph mark regularly and his fastest delivery came against Delhi Capitals as he bowled a 157 kmph delivery against Rovman Powell. Malik is currently in contention for a spot in the India squad for the upcoming white ball series against South Africa.

Shoaib Akhtar back SRH pacer Umran Malik to break his 161.3 kmph bowling speed record

<p>MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) beat Delhi Capitals (DC) by a whopping 91-run margin in match 55 of IPL 2022 edition, on Sunday evening (May 08), at the DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai. With this big victory, the four-time winners and defending champions Chennai remain alive in the playoffs race, however, they have a very slim chance of moving forward.</p>

<p>While Dhoni had relinquished CSK captaincy at the beginning of the season, handing it to all-rounder Ravindra Jadjea, he was requested to lead again after the latter resigned following Yellow Army's eight encounters this season. Recently, the 40-year-old Dhoni was asked about his IPL future by Danny Morrison. To this, he dodged the question by saying, "You will definitely see me in the yellow jersey.&nbsp;Whether it is this yellow jersey or some other yellow jersey, you will have to wait and watch."</p>

<p>Thus, Dhoni continues to keep mum on his IPL future. While many had thought this would be his last season after he gave up captaincy, now people remain perplexed and clueless regarding the superstar cricketer's IPL future.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-vs-dc-ms-dhoni-enters-6000-run-club-as-t20-captain-joins-virat-kohli-in-elite-list-477515"><strong>CSK vs DC: MS Dhoni enters 6000-run club as T20 captain, joins Virat Kohli in elite list</strong></a></p>

<p>In this regard, Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar told Sportskeeda, "He is MS Dhoni. Can’t really predict what he does. He can do any odd stuff. He is known for doing that. He’s a great guy. We all love him and respect him. Personally, though, I reckon he will play another season before he calls it a day. Or again, he might be part of the management."</p>

<p>Akhtar also added that franchises need to now have an eye on the future which comprise of many players on the last lap of their respective careers. "Franchises need to start looking beyond players like Dhoni and Kohli. Of course, there is the star factor and emotional bonding with the two big names. But this is a cruel world. Teams need to look ahead and explore options," he added.</p>

<section>
<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-devon-conway-moeen-ali-shine-in-big-csk-victory-over-delhi-capitals-477461">IPL 2022: Devon Conway, Moeen Ali shine in big CSK victory over Delhi Capitals</a></strong></p>
At present, CSK are languishing at the eighth position in the points table following their big win over Delhi. They need to win all their remaining wins and also hope for few other results to go their way in order to enter the top-four.</section>


MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) beat Delhi Capitals (DC) by a whopping 91-run margin in match 55 of IPL 2022 edition, on Sunday evening (May 08), at the DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai.

MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) beat Delhi Capitals (DC) by a whopping 91-run margin in match 55 of IPL 2022 edition, on Sunday evening (May 08), at the DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai. With this big victory, the four-time winners and defending champions Chennai remain alive in the playoffs race, however, they have a very slim chance of moving forward. While Dhoni had relinquished CSK captaincy at the beginning of the season, handing it to all-rounder Ravindra Jadjea, he was requested to lead again after the latter resigned following Yellow Army's eight encounters this season. Recently, the 40-year-old Dhoni was asked about his IPL future by Danny Morrison. To this, he dodged the question by saying, "You will definitely see me in the yellow jersey. Whether it is this yellow jersey or some other yellow jersey, you will have to wait and watch." Thus, Dhoni continues to keep mum on his IPL future. While many had thought this would be his last season after he gave up captaincy, now people remain perplexed and clueless regarding the superstar cricketer's IPL future. ALSO READ | CSK vs DC: MS Dhoni enters 6000-run club as T20 captain, joins Virat Kohli in elite list In this regard, Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar told Sportskeeda, "He is MS Dhoni. Can’t really predict what he does. He can do any odd stuff. He is known for doing that. He’s a great guy. We all love him and respect him. Personally, though, I reckon he will play another season before he calls it a day. Or again, he might be part of the management." Akhtar also added that franchises need to now have an eye on the future which comprise of many players on the last lap of their respective careers. "Franchises need to start looking beyond players like Dhoni and Kohli. Of course, there is the star factor and emotional bonding with the two big names. But this is a cruel world. Teams need to look ahead and explore options," he added. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Devon Conway, Moeen Ali shine in big CSK victory over Delhi Capitals At present, CSK are languishing at the eighth position in the points table following their big win over Delhi. They need to win all their remaining wins and also hope for few other results to go their way in order to enter the top-four.

Will MS Dhoni play another IPL season? Shoaib Akhtar opens up on CSK skipper's future

<p>Virat Kohli has had a forgetful campaign in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 as he continues to struggle with the willow. The former RCB captain has been far from his best with the bat and has managed just one half-century so far this season. Expectations were high from Kohli ahead of the start of the season, however, he has failed to deliver despite being promoted as an opener in the batting line-up.</p>

<p>With no captaincy burden on his shoulders, Kohli would have hoped to pile on runs for RCB this season. However, he has a string of low-key scores in RCB's last few matches and has failed to get his team off to good starts at the top. He has so far scored only 216 runs in 11 matches this season at an average of 21.60 and a poor strike rate of just over 111.</p>

<p>Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar recently gave his take on Kohli's lean patch this season and said the RCB stalwart seems under pressure and is finding new ways to get out in IPL 2022. However, Akhtar backed Kohli to bounce back and urged him to just look at enjoying his game.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/was-supposed-to-be-the-captain-yuvraj-singh-claims-he-lost-india-captaincy-to-ms-dhoni-due-to-chappell-row-477350">'Was supposed to be the captain': Yuvraj&nbsp;claims he lost India captaincy to&nbsp;Dhoni due to Chappell row</a></p>

<p>“Kohli is a great player. He has got nothing to prove. But he is finding new ways to get out because he is under pressure. He is trying too hard. He just needs to go out there and enjoy the game. Legends like Virat Kohli know how to make a comeback. But the world is pushing him down to his knees,” Akhtar was quoted as&nbsp;saying by&nbsp;<em>Sportskeeda.</em></p>

<p>On Sunday (May 08), Kohli's disastrous run with the willow continued as RCB locked horns with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The batting maestro, who is the leading run-getter of all time in IPL history, was sent back on a Golden Duck on the very first ball of the match.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mothers-day-when-ms-dhoni-led-indian-team-paid-tribute-to-mothers-by-sporting-their-names-on-jerseys-477315">Mother's Day: When&nbsp;Dhoni-led Indian team paid tribute to mothers by sporting their names on jerseys</a></p>

<p>Kohli was caught by SRH skipper Kane Williamson off the bowling of Jagadeesha Suchith without managing to open his account once again this season. However, RCB staged a brilliant recovery after Kohli's cheap dismissal as skipper Faf du Plessis (73) combined with the likes of Rajat Patidar (48), Glenn Maxwell (33) and Dinesh Karthik (30) to help the team post 192 runs on the board in 20 overs.</p>


Virat Kohli has had a forgetful campaign in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 as he continues to struggle with the willow. The former RCB captain has been far from his best with the bat and has managed just one half-century so far this season.

Virat Kohli has had a forgetful campaign in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 as he continues to struggle with the willow. The former RCB captain has been far from his best with the bat and has managed just one half-century so far this season. Expectations were high from Kohli ahead of the start of the season, however, he has failed to deliver despite being promoted as an opener in the batting line-up. With no captaincy burden on his shoulders, Kohli would have hoped to pile on runs for RCB this season. However, he has a string of low-key scores in RCB's last few matches and has failed to get his team off to good starts at the top. He has so far scored only 216 runs in 11 matches this season at an average of 21.60 and a poor strike rate of just over 111. Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar recently gave his take on Kohli's lean patch this season and said the RCB stalwart seems under pressure and is finding new ways to get out in IPL 2022. However, Akhtar backed Kohli to bounce back and urged him to just look at enjoying his game. Also Read: 'Was supposed to be the captain': Yuvraj claims he lost India captaincy to Dhoni due to Chappell row “Kohli is a great player. He has got nothing to prove. But he is finding new ways to get out because he is under pressure. He is trying too hard. He just needs to go out there and enjoy the game. Legends like Virat Kohli know how to make a comeback. But the world is pushing him down to his knees,” Akhtar was quoted as saying by Sportskeeda. On Sunday (May 08), Kohli's disastrous run with the willow continued as RCB locked horns with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The batting maestro, who is the leading run-getter of all time in IPL history, was sent back on a Golden Duck on the very first ball of the match. Also Read: Mother's Day: When Dhoni-led Indian team paid tribute to mothers by sporting their names on jerseys Kohli was caught by SRH skipper Kane Williamson off the bowling of Jagadeesha Suchith without managing to open his account once again this season. However, RCB staged a brilliant recovery after Kohli's cheap dismissal as skipper Faf du Plessis (73) combined with the likes of Rajat Patidar (48), Glenn Maxwell (33) and Dinesh Karthik (30) to help the team post 192 runs on the board in 20 overs.

Virat Kohli is finding new ways to get out: Shoaib Akhtar on RCB star's struggles in IPL 2022

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