Shoaib Akhtar signing an autograph at England.
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Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Shoaib Akhtar | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born |
Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan |
13 August 1975 ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nickname | Rawalpindi Express, Tiger, Don | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Batting style | Right hand bat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bowling style | Right-arm fast | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Role | Bowler | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
International information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
National side | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Test debut (cap 150) | 29 November 1997 v West Indies | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last Test | 8 December 2007 v India | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
ODI debut (cap 123) | 28 March 1998 v Zimbabwe | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last ODI | 8 March 2011 v New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
ODI shirt no. | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricinfo, 8 November 2010 |
Shoaib Akhtar ( pronunciation ; born 13 August 1975) is a former Pakistani cricketer. He is known as the fastest bowler ever in the history of cricket and has bowled the fastest delivery officially recorded at a top speed of 161.3km/h. Akhtar was nicknamed as "Rawalpindi Express", as a tribute to his hometown and fast bowling. He is widely acknowledged as a legend in cricket history & one of the greatest fast bowlers ever.
Akhtar made his Test debut in November 1997 as an opening fast bowler and played his first One Day International 3 months later. Akhtar has been involved in several controversies during his career, often accused of not being a team player, but was also commended for significantly impacting games in Pakistan's favour. Akhtar was sent home during a Test match series in Australia in 2005 for alleged poor attitude. A year later, he was embroiled in a drug scandal after testing positive for the performance-enhancing substance nandrolone. However, the ban imposed on him was lifted on appeal. In September 2007, he was banned for an indefinite period for his fight with Pakistan team mate and fast bowler Mohammad Asif. On 1 April 2008, Akhtar was banned for 5 years for publicly criticising the Pakistan Cricket Board. In October 2008, the Lahore High Court in Pakistan suspended the five-year ban and Akhtar was selected in the 15-man squad for the Twenty20 Quadrangular Tournament in Canada. Pakistani judge Rana Bhagwandas once stated that Akhtar is a legend of Pakistan cricket. Akhtar retired from international cricket after the 2011 World Cup.