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    Sep 5, 2008

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    Will we ever see Shoaib’s like again?

    By Will 5 months ago Leave a comment on this post

    Shoaib Akhtar has been banned for five years for continued disciplinary problems, the most telling of which happened last September when he hit his team-mate, Mohammad Asif, with a bat. I’m all for individuality, but Shoaib continued to push the boundaries of what is acceptable; of what is normal behaviour. It probably brings to an end one the most chequered of international careers, pitted with controversy, illegality and downright stupidity. He’s been nothing if not an entertainer. Will we ever see his like again?

    Your favourite Shoaib moments welcome.

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    9 Responses to “Will we ever see Shoaib’s like again?”

  • David Barry wrote:
    April 2nd, 2008 at 6.13 am

    My favourite Shoaib moment was when he played at the Gabba in the first ODI of the 1999/00 triangular series. There had been questions raised over his action. Unlike with Murali, the Australian public were firmly behind Shoaib, and when he came on to bowl as first change, he got a standing ovation. He waved his acknowledgement to the crowd, to the disapproval of the commentators, but that was Shoaib’s crowd-pleasing flare. He took three wickets and we were shot out for 139 and a 45-run loss.

    Shoaib must be puzzled. He gets let off for steroid use, thirteen matches for hitting a teammate with a bat, but when he criticises the Board and contracts etc. he gets five years!

    He’s done enough to deserve a long ban, but it’s been a rather weird path to get there.

  • raxar wrote:
    April 2nd, 2008 at 9.23 am

    “Will we ever see Shoaib’s like again?”

    I hope not. ;)

  • Graham Smith wrote:
    April 2nd, 2008 at 12.34 pm

    The world is full of strange people (We all fit into this category ?)…..I never liked the man…but he will be one less topic of contention…..long live the strange ones :…….it would be a boring life if we all followed some other persons idea of the rules !…………….Wouldn’t it ?

  • Ravi wrote:
    April 2nd, 2008 at 5.22 pm

    Favorite Shoaib moment? Make that the most hated Shoaib moment:
    Eden Gardens, 1999 - India at a comfortable 147/2, Rahul Dravid looking good. In comes this screeching inswinging yorker from Shoaib Akhtar and Dravid’s leg stump is knocked out. Sachin Tendulkar walks in to a thunderous applause from the crowd. Shoaib unleashes an even more unplayable yorker first ball, and Sachin’s middle stump is sent flying, with the off and leg still standing.
    That moment marked the start of Shoaib Akhtar’s reign as one of the most hated (well, sort of) players in India, following in the traditions of Wasim and Waqar.
    What a pity that he threw away the gifts of a lifetime to be mentioned alongside those two names!

  • Ravi wrote:
    April 2nd, 2008 at 5.25 pm

    Video of the above two balls
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kY_jgjn1Zno

  • King Cricket wrote:
    April 2nd, 2008 at 7.11 pm

    I’d go for 5-21 against Australia at that famous pace-bowling paradise, Colombo.

    Ricky Ponting, Mark Waugh, Steve Waugh, Adam Gilchrist and Shane Warne. Three ducks, a five and a seven.

    I’d call it a match-winning spell but for the awkward fact that Pakistan still lost.

  • Som wrote:
    April 3rd, 2008 at 6.15 am

    Shoaib will go down in the history as the potential history-maker who preferred to remain history-sheeter.

    Have a look at my blog which deals with the Rawalpindi Enigma.
    http://gonewiththewindies.blogspot.com/2008/04/end-of-shoaib-enigma.html

  • Q wrote:
    April 7th, 2008 at 10.14 am

    David, Ravi, and King Cricket have mentioned probably the best 3 moments of Shoaib’s career.

    The 99 World Cup was definitely his finest tournament. He ended as one of the highest wicket takers and set the competition on fire. In the league game against Australia he had Steve Waugh plumb in front of an unplyable inswinger only to be denied by the umpire. An over or 2 later he knocked back Waugh’s stumps with an even more unplayable inswinger.

    The 3 match test series in 2005 against England was another series where Shoaib was at his best. He took 17 wickets in 3 tests, the highest on both sides. Micheal Vaughan also mentioned that he was the difference between the 2 sides. That must be the only test series in which Shoaib played all the matches and bowled in all the innings. His match winning spell in the 3rd spell where he got a 5 for with almost all wickets of slower balls will always be remembered.

    Pakistan will miss him.

  • Aadityaveer Singh Gill wrote:
    April 8th, 2008 at 5.32 am

    “It probably brings to an end one the most chequered of international careers, pitted with controversy, illegality and downright stupidity. He’s been nothing if not an entertainer.”
    Agreed.You missed somthn though.He’s been a lot apart from an entertainer.Controversy,illegality,etc—.All right.
    Fabulous,unplayable & superhuman at times.I’m a fan.
    Some1 mentioned here that shoaib is hated in india.
    Far from it.He’s definitely one of the most loved cricketers in india.I hope he’s allowed to play in the IPL.
    Eden gardens, with ishant sharma and shoaib akhtar bowling in tandemn,even if it is for 4 overs each,will be unbelievable.My advice to all cricket fans is to not miss any kolkata knightriders game.It’ll be pure entertainment,with a few stumps flying here and there.
    Of course being punjabi, i’d like mohali to win.

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