Shoaib Akhtar Is Back! Or Is He?
By:Â Hassaan Q – Staff Writer
Team Pakistan have announced their 15 man squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy to be held in Pakistan and it includes Shoaib Akhtar! A lot of his comeback has to do with sheer luck from other bowler’s suffering injuries and legal battles that were put on hiatus to allow him to play.
After being banned for five years for many things piling up together, from the likes of: hitting his team mate and fellow fast bowler Mohammad Asif with a bat, being tested positive for the anabolic steroid Nandrolone, not following protocol set on his central contract in the form of giving his opinion to the media whereby putting down the PCB and chairman Dr. Nasim Ashraf without permission, and various other scuffles; he was cleared to play in the recently concluded Indian Premier League playing for Shah Rukh Khan’s Kolkata Knight Riders team and doing very well at that!
After that tournament, the verdict was brought down that he would be banned for five years. He obviously appealed this and was able to get the ban down to 18 months, but also had to pay a fee of some Rs. 7 million. The condition that was put to allow him to play while he waits for the judgement of the appeal is to pay his fine, but he said he refused to pay it while he waits for the court to make its ruling. So the PCB has allowed him to do this. The final ruling is expected to come in September when the courts reopen.
It was thought that this man’s career would be as good as over after the initial sentencing of a 5 year ban, being that he is turning 33 August 13! I still think we need him. He’s a crowd puller, has experience, and he could potentially groom the young lot. But he needs to stay match-fit and not break down all the time. Happy Birthday to him in advance. 
Now about the actual squad: Shoaib Malik (capt), Salman Butt, Nasir Jamshed, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul Haq, Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal (wk), Bazid Khan, Khalid Latif, Shoaib Akhtar, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul, Iftikhar Anjum, Abdur Rauf, Saeed Ajmal
There’s only one somewhat new name here and that is Saeed Ajmal, a 30 year old off spinner who made his debut just recently in the Asia Cup and it seems he has impressed enough. I personally don’t like this pick. The only reason they’ve taken him is because he’s on off-breaker, but there are just as good spinners (be it a different kind) waiting in the ranks who are younger, dynamic, athletic, and multi-talented. I am referring to Mansoor Amjad a leg-break googly, who is capable with bat as well and only 20 years old! Misbah-ul-Haq is our talented and responsible vice-captain. Kamran Akmal gets another chance as wicketkeeper seeing as he has been struggling lately behind the stumps. Umar Gull has yet to recover fully from his rib injury sustained from the Asia Cup and Abdur Rauf…I like this guy! He’s a bit older, but hes been toiling in the domestic scene for too long and doing extremely well. He bowls tight and he has lots of domestic experience to back his inclusion.
I’ll be posting another blog completely about issues that have been brought up about the Champions Trophy actually being held in Pakistan, stay tuned!
OH and any questions anyone has about anything at all I’d be more than happy to answer them!
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He’s turning 33 already? How time flies! Wasn’t he supposedly the world’s faster bowler at some time? And he also started playing when he was 16 or so? It would be interesting to see how he performs now. Wonder if he’s off steroids or just found undetectable/untraceable ones now:-)
His 33rd birthday is tomorrow. I think you can still say he is still the fastest bowler in the world. He made his Test debut at the age of 23.
He should be able to perform quite well in my opinion as that is something he has proven time and time again. I have no idea what the “truth” is behind the nandrolone saga, I don’t believe he ever took or takes steroids. He has the natural ability (thanks in part due to hyper-extension) and talent to go that extra mile in speed. Though we’d like to see him do the same in time as well and last for longer!
Test debut at the age of 23? wow…interesting.
He’ll be a great asset to the team if he keeps doing so well…if anything his “knowledge” and “experience” should help the team become better!
You would think that and not to say that it does not, it certainly does. However the amount in which he could be helping out is not close enough to me. He ought to be liaising on the field with some of the bowlers from time to time to calm their nerves and steady themselves and make sure they stick to plan without losing control.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/1956393.stm
here’s when he broke the world record. awesome!
very cool indeed
That was probably his first time I’m guessing. The one I remember is the one that happened in the World Cup 2003 I think (don’t quote me on that) but it was against England’s Nick Knight where he bowled 100.2 mph!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=036lpnTBI54&feature=related
wow thats amazing!!!….the question then is that will he be able to perform just as well as he did in the past? …if he can then the Pakistan team will show allot of improvement!!
That’s quite true nad we would hope nothing less. When ever he is in the team they usually do well, but he needs to be around for longer…
I wonder if he will be able to keep it up. The partying is starting to show up on his face.
Heheeheee true say! One thing in this sport that everyone always should try to remember (because it is something that gets lost in the excitement) is that it is a team sport. One thing Shoaib Akhtar sometimes would rant about is that he didn’t have good support in the rest of his bowlers. Now some of them may be having an off day or they’re just not going the right way, but with communication and effort they can work together to take out any side possible