Shoaib Akhtar

 

Shoaib Akhtar is a former Pakistani cricketer, who is considered to be one of the fastest bowlers in the history of cricket. He was born on August 13, 1975, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

Akhtar made his debut for the Pakistan cricket team in 1997, and quickly gained a reputation for his express pace and aggressive style of bowling. He was known for consistently bowling at speeds over 150 km/h, and has been recorded bowling as fast as 161.3 km/h, which is the fastest delivery ever officially recorded in cricket.

Akhtar had a successful international career, taking 247 wickets in 46 test matches, and 247 wickets in 163 One Day Internationals (ODIs). He played in three World Cups for Pakistan and was a key member of the team that reached the final of the 1999 World Cup.

Despite his success, Akhtar was also known for his controversial behavior both on and off the field. He was involved in several on-field altercations with other players and was often criticized for his inconsistent performances and injury issues.

After retiring from international cricket in 2011, Akhtar has worked as a commentator and analyst for various media outlets. He also has a strong social media presence and is known for his outspoken views on cricket and other issues.

Sure, here is some additional information about Shoaib Akhtar:

Shoaib Akhtar is nicknamed the "Rawalpindi Express" due to his lightning-fast bowling, as well as his hometown of Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

He made his first-class cricket debut for Rawalpindi in 1994-95, before being called up to the Pakistan A team in 1996.

Akhtar's fastest recorded delivery was bowled against England in the 2003 Cricket World Cup, where he reached a speed of 161.3 km/h (100.23 mph), making him the first bowler to officially break the 100 mph barrier.

In addition to his pace, Akhtar was known for his reverse swing bowling, which is a technique where the ball swings in the opposite direction to what is expected.

Akhtar retired from international cricket in 2011 after playing in the Cricket World Cup that year. He ended his career with 178 wickets in 113 Tests and 247 wickets in 163 ODIs.

In 2019, Akhtar was appointed as the mentor and bowling coach for the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) High Performance Centre.

Akhtar has also been involved in various other ventures, including writing an autobiography titled "Controversially Yours" and appearing as a judge on the Pakistani television show "Pakistan Idol".

Despite his controversial reputation, Akhtar is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time and has been an inspiration to many young fast bowlers around the world.

Here are some additional facts about Shoaib Akhtar:

In 1999, Shoaib Akhtar played a key role in Pakistan's run to the final of the Cricket World Cup, taking 16 wickets in the tournament at an average of 23.06.

Akhtar also played in the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 in South Africa in 2007, where he took 6 wickets in 4 matches and helped Pakistan reach the final.

In 2006, Akhtar was suspended from international cricket for two years after testing positive for a banned substance. However, the ban was later reduced to 18 months on appeal.

Akhtar was involved in several high-profile on-field incidents throughout his career, including altercations with Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir and Australian captain Ricky Ponting.

Despite his controversial image, Akhtar was known for his charitable work and established the Shoaib Akhtar Foundation in 2014 to provide aid and assistance to underprivileged communities in Pakistan.

Akhtar is also known for his candid and often controversial opinions on cricket and other issues, and has attracted a large following on social media due to his outspoken views.

In addition to his cricketing career, Akhtar has also dabbled in acting and appeared in several Pakistani films, including "Mai Ek Din Laut Kay Aaoon Ga" and "Sawa Teen".

Shoaib Akhtar has been honored with several awards throughout his career, including the Wisden Cricketer of the Year award in 2003 and the Pride of Performance award by the President of Pakistan in 2019.