The India-Pakistan rivalry has produced innumerable amazing games and moments on and off the field. However, in between the ongoing clash between India and Pakistan in the Super Four clash, old footage of former Pakistani bowler Shoaib Akhtar has shocked the Internet.
There’s been quite a buzz on the internet lately, with a viral video featuring Shoaib Akhtar where he openly talks about a rather shocking incident involving the legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar.
Akhtar, famously known as the Rawalpindi Express for his lightning-fast-pace bowling, had some unforgettable encounters with Sachin Tendulkar on the cricket field. However, this particular old video has left a sour taste in the mouths of fans. In this clip from the past, Akhtar reveals a startling story that sheds new light on their on-field rivalry.
Recalling the incident, Akhtar said:
“I want to reveal this today that I really wanted to injure Sachin in that match…I was determined to hurt Sachin at any cost in that match…And I kept at it although Inzamam-ul-Haq asked to bowl in front of the wickets,”
“So I deliberately hit on his helmet and even thought that he (Sachin) would be dead…I saw the replay and found that the ball hit on his forehead…I then tried to injure him again”, he further continued.
For context, Akhtar was referring to the well-known 3rd Test match that took place at the National Stadium in 2006 between India and Pakistan.
This wasn’t the initial occasion when the former Pakistani fast bowler admitted to purposefully targeting Indian players in a cricket match. In an interview with the media in October 2021, Shoaib Akhtar acknowledged that he deliberately delivered a ‘deadly beamer’ to Mahendra Singh Dhoni during the Faisalabad Test match between India and Pakistan back in 2006.
The Pakistani pacer said, “I had made the same mistake with Dhoni in Faisalabad. I had thrown a beamer at him intentionally. Dhoni is such a nice guy and I respect him. I felt very bad about it. Yes, he is a good player who hit me for a few runs. Why did I decide to attack him (with a beamer)? If the ball would have hit Dhoni, he would have been grievously hurt (do-teen-paanch) in 2005 itself.”
