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Akhtar-Supreme Fast hotshot or Too much talk??

Is Akhtar a true Express?


  • Total voters
    15

Trumpers_Ghost

U19 Cricketer
I remember he was talking to a reporter on the side of the road while on tour in Australia.
Jumped away and pulled a child off the road in front of a car. Can't be too much of a ****.

Bowling like he did breeds inconsistency and injury. I think these factors have led to the Shoib hate as much as his sometimes overworked mouth. I like hearing from characters. Would so much prefer to the likes of Warne, Shoib, etc speak than the robots.

I would describe him as scary good, easy fodder, injured, suspended in controversy. The appropriate adjective depended on time of year and menstrual cycle.

cheers
 

bagapath

International Captain
I remember he was talking to a reporter on the side of the road while on tour in Australia.
Jumped away and pulled a child off the road in front of a car. Can't be too much of a ****.
:laugh: come on, mate. even jack the ripper would have done it.

my problem with shoaib is not that he has got a cauliflower plantation hidden in his body. i found his limping and moaning and refusing to bowl on flat tracks irritating. it was not helping his team and he never seemed to care. and this coming from a man who played for the same team nurtured by imran and javed who would rather die than lose a match was really pathetic. he did more harm to pakistan cricket with this attitude despite bowling at such ferocious pace on occasions. my favorite shoaib spells are his 5 for 16 in colombo versus australia and his opening spell in the world cup game against india in 2003. love them both equally - for completely different reasons, of course.
 

Beleg

International Regular
:laugh: come on, mate. even jack the ripper would have done it.

my problem with shoaib is not that he has got a cauliflower plantation hidden in his body. i found his limping and moaning and refusing to bowl on flat tracks irritating. it was not helping his team and he never seemed to care. and this coming from a man who played for the same team nurtured by imran and javed who would rather die than lose a match was really pathetic. he did more harm to pakistan cricket with this attitude despite bowling at such ferocious pace on occasions. my favorite shoaib spells are his 5 for 16 in colombo versus australia and his opening spell in the world cup game against india in 2003. love them both equally - for completely different reasons, of course.
his limping and moaning refusal?

dude, the vast vast vast majority of his brief career was spent playing games on tracks that were ****ed to the core. of course he was a jessie and a disruptive influence but you should be able to divorce his grandstanding and **** stirring antics from his ACTUAL ON FIELD PERFORMANCE.

which, as it stands, more or less speaks for itself . vastly under-rated on this messageboard, and in general. if anything, his stats belie his bowling ability.
 

Matt79

Hall of Fame Member
The speed at which he bowls has got nothing to do with whether he was any good - see Shaun Tait's test match efforts.

He was an occasionally devestating quick, but was far too prone to injury, too selfish, and far too unprofessional to be considered a great bowler. Ultimately he will be considered an inconsistent disappointment who wasted his talent.
 

Faisal1985

International Vice-Captain
Any one at his peak is one of the greatest, even Michael Vaughn gave a hint of greatness when he was at his peak, the real argument is, was he a great even when things weren't his way? I am sure many saw Freddy yesterday bowling out the Aussies single handedly.... Now consider Shoaib bowling at this ocassion....... do you think he has the heart, the will, the determination to do the same.....i am sorry but NO is the answer. He loved himself, not the game or the country and thats what matters the most...commitment to ones country and the game of cricket. Which he does not have.
 

Migara

International Coach
I reckon he might have cracked 170. Definitely hit 165.
So might be Mohammed Akram and Mohammed Zahid. Both incredibly quick before they broke down, and quickest I've ever seen during my life time (I've not seen Thompson live), and both were much quicker than Akthar. I have a feeling that both of them were quicker than Thommo in that few matches they were fully fit.
 

Migara

International Coach
Zahid was rapid but from the little I saw of Akram, he was just fast-medium.
I am referring to Md. Akram at Sialkot, not the one you saw in England a year later after the injury. The only bowler I saw rushing de Silva on the pull / hook. De Silva at 34+ years was not hurried by either Akthar or Lee bowling at 160k. And to do it agaunst him at much younger age on a seamers grave yard like Sialkot told a definite story.
 
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Manee

Cricketer Of The Year
This guy, right? I saw him in Australia in 1999/2000 and he was bowling at 140kph, was he that much quicker earlier in his career?
 

Manee

Cricketer Of The Year
Interesting, what sort of speeds was he getting clocked at for Surrey. He definitely looked the part as a quick bowler with that relaxed run up and strong front on action as well as the athletic build.
 

Blackjane

Cricket Spectator
RAWILPINDI EXPRESS SHOAIB AKHTAR got this name because of his deadly pahse bowling..no doubt in his talent and experience but actuly Pakistan losing much to have him in the team...his irresponsible attitude, controversies etc.,
 

Xuhaib

International Coach
yes it was the same guy in this series, 5 years back. Easily the quickest thing I have seen.
Yeah I saw his debut series and tbh he was never more then 90mph.

I ve talked to many former Pakistani cricketers and in terms of speed their order is usually this.

Zahid
Shoaib
Waqar
Nadeem Iqbal (domestic bowler)
Wasim.
 
Yeah I saw his debut series and tbh he was never more then 90mph.

I ve talked to many former Pakistani cricketers and in terms of speed their order is usually this.

Zahid
Shoaib
Waqar
Nadeem Iqbal (domestic bowler)
Wasim
.
Imran Khan was quicker than those bolded.He was Pakistan's quickest ever bowler before Zahid & Akhtar.
 

brackenNY

School Boy/Girl Captain
I'm not really sure how this is even a question. I know the guy is controversial but there's no doubt he was express.
 

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