Shoaib Akhtar (
PunjabiPunjabi or Panjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region ....
, ; born 13 August 1975 in
Rawalpindi' Rāwalpindī) is a city in the Potwar Plateau near Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. Rawalpindi is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad. Locally known as Pindi, the area was home to the pre-historic Soanian culture indigenous to...
,
PunjabThe Punjab province of Pakistan. It is the country's most populous region with about 45% of Pakistan's total population. The Punjab is home to the Punjabis and various other groups...
) is a Pakistani
cricketCricket is a bat-and-ball team sport that is first documented as being played in southern England in the 16th century. By the end of the 18th century, cricket had developed to the point where it had become the national sport of England. The expansion of the British Empire led to cricket being...
er, and is one of the fastest bowlers in the world, earning him the name
Rawalpindi Express. He set a world record by clocking 161.3 km/h (100.2 mph) twice. His ability to bowl fast yorkers, well disguised slow balls, swinging deliveries (including reverse swing), and sharp bouncers have made him lethal even on dead pitches.
However, he has never been far from controversy, often accused of not being a team player. Shoaib was sent back home from a tour in
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
in 2005. A year later he was embroiled in a drug scandal after testing positive for a banned substance. However, the ban imposed on him was lifted on appeal. In September 2007, Shoaib was banned by the PCB for an indefinite period for the alleged brawl with his team-mate Mohammad Asif. On 1 April 2008 Shoaib was banned for five years for publicly criticizing the policies of the
Pakistan Cricket BoardThe Pakistan Cricket Board is responsible for all major cricket including Test cricket played in Pakistan. It controls and organizes all tours and matches undertaken by the Pakistan national cricket team....
. As of October 2008, the
Lahore High CourtThe Lahore High Court is based in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It was established on 21 March 1919, although its predecessors have been providing justice since 1866. The Lahore High Court has such jurisdiction as is conferred on them by the Constitution or by law...
has suspended the 5 year ban until the hearing for the case takes place and Shoaib has been named in the 15-man squad for the
Twenty20Twenty20 is a form of cricket, originally introduced in the United Kingdom for professional inter-county competition by the England and Wales Cricket Board , in 2003...
Quadrangular Tournament in Canada.
Early years
Shoaib was born at Morgah, a town near Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan. His father was a worker in Attock Oil Refinery, Morgah. Shoaib started his studies at Elliott High School, Morgah and then took admission in the Asghar Mall College, Rawalpindi. There he was given the chance to show off his talent and consequently come into the limelight.
Performances
Shoaib's run of impressive performances started in 1999 in a pre-World Cup series against India when he shot to prominence. It was followed by outstanding bowling displays in
SharjahSharjah is the third largest and most populous city in the United Arab Emirates. It is located along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula.Sharjah is the seat of government of the emirate of Sharjah...
and later in
1999 Cricket World CupThe 1999 Cricket World Cup, the seventh edition of the tournament, was hosted primarily by England, but Ireland, Wales, Scotland and the Netherlands also hosted some games. The World Cup was won by Australia, who beat Pakistan by 8 wickets at Lord's Cricket Ground in London...
. His memorable performance came in India in 1999 when, as a newcomer to the Pakistan team, he took eight wickets in the Asian Test championship match at Calcutta – including the wickets of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid off successive deliveries. This was Shoaib's first encounter with Sachin Tendulkar in which Shoaib bowled him for the first ball he delivered to Sachin.
Later in 2002 he fared a spirited bowling attack against Australia. The 2003 World Cup was a huge disappointment, especially given the hype, after which he was dropped from the team. He came back in the team with a bang in the 2004 series against New Zealand but struggled in a lost series against India in
2004See also:2003 in cricket,other sporting events of 2004,2005 in cricket-Events:* February 15 - March 5 - Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2004 in Dhaka, Bangladesh - Pakistan beat West Indies by 25 runs....
. The series ended with a controversy when he left the field citing an injury leading to suspicions by the captain,
Inzamam-ul-HaqInzamam-ul-Haq , also known as Inzamam, nicknamed Inzy or the Sultan of Multan, is a former Pakistan international cricketer who was national captain between 2003 and 2007...
, about his commitment. As a result, his relationship with
Inzamam-ul-HaqInzamam-ul-Haq , also known as Inzamam, nicknamed Inzy or the Sultan of Multan, is a former Pakistan international cricketer who was national captain between 2003 and 2007...
and the coach
Bob WoolmerRobert Andrew Woolmer was an international cricketer, professional cricket coach and also a professional commentator...
deteriorated. A medical panel set up by PCB to investigate the nature of his injury, however, dispelled all suspicions.
In
2005See also:2004 in cricket,other sporting events of 2005,2006 in cricket-Events:*January 2 - Pakistani Salman Butt scores his first Test century in a match against Australia....
, Shoaib regained his reputation as a potent bowler for his side. Playing in a three-
TestTest cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. It is generally considered the ultimate test of playing ability in the sport.The name "Test" may have arisen from the idea that the matches are a "test of strength and competency" between the sides involved...
home series against England, he made a series of impressive bowling efforts on lifeless
pitchesA cricket pitch is the central strip of the cricket field between the wickets. The pitch is 1 chain or 22 yards long and 10 feet wide. The surface is very flat and normally covered with extremely short grass though this grass is soon removed by wear at the ends of the pitch.In amateur matches,...
. His effective use of slower ball proved to be unplayable by English batsmen. He emerged as the highest wicket taker of the series with seventeen wickets. His performance was also acknowledged by the English captain
Michael VaughanMichael Paul Vaughan OBE is a former cricketer who represented Yorkshire and England. A classically elegant right-handed batsman and useful occasional off-spinner, Vaughan was ranked the best batsman in the world following the 2002/3 Ashes, in which he scored 633 runs, including three centuries...
, who remarked "I thought he (Shoaib) was a big difference between the two teams". He is also known as the bowler who broke the 100 mph barrier in cricket bowling history, with a delivery of 100.2 mph, and this delivery at stands as the fastest recorded to date.
On October 29, 2007 Akhtar made his comeback from his 13-match ban and performed well, taking 4-43 against South Africa in the fifth and deciding ODI in Lahore. Subsequently, he was included in the 16-man Pakistan squad for the 2007 tour of India, which he completed successfully without further incident.
County cricket
Shoaib has played for three counties in
EnglishEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county cricketCounty cricket is the highest level of domestic cricket in England and Wales. For the 2008 season, see County Cricket 2008.-First-class counties:...
:
SomersetSomerset County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Somerset. Its limited overs team is called the Somerset Sabres. The club has its headquarters at the County Cricket Ground, Taunton....
(2001),
DurhamDurham County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Durham. Its limited overs team is called the Durham Dynamos. Their kit colours are blue with yellow trim and the shirt sponsor was Northern Rock...
(2003 and 2004) and
WorcestershireWorcestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Worcestershire...
(2005). He did have his moments of success (for example, taking 5-35 for Durham against Somerset in the
National LeagueThe NatWest Pro40 League, is the one-day cricket league for first-class cricket counties in England and Wales. It was inaugurated in 1999, but was essentially the old 'Sunday League' retitled to reflect the fact that large numbers of matches were now played on other days than Sunday.-Sunday...
in 2003, and claiming 6-16 in the same competition for Worcestershire against
GlamorganGlamorgan County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Glamorgan aka Glamorganshire . Glamorgan CCC is the only Welsh first-class cricket club. Its limited overs team is called the...
two years later) but he also suffered from fitness problems, as well as a perception that he was less than interested in his task. This was particularly the case at Worcestershire: chairman John Elliott said "Players like that are no good to our club. In fact, Shoaib has been no good for any club he's been at. He's a superstar and just does what he wants."
Indian Premier League
Shoaib made a strong comeback in his first game in the IPL for the
Kolkata Knight RidersKolkata Knight Riders is the franchise representing Kolkata in the Indian Premier League, a Twenty20 cricket tournament. The team is led by Sourav Ganguly, and coached by Matthew Mott. Sourav Ganguly is the team's Icon Player...
against the
Delhi DaredevilsDelhi Daredevils is the Delhi franchise for the Indian Premier League. The franchise is owned by the GMR Group. The team is captained by Gautam Gambhir.-Franchise history:...
. Defending a low score of 133, Shoaib took four top order wickets which ultimately led to the Daredevils being restricted to 110. He ended with figures of 4-11 from three overs, a performance which earned him the player of the match award. Shoaib denied that he had any point to prove with his performance, stating, "I just wanted to win the game." Knight Riders' captain
Sourav GangulySourav Chandidas Ganguly is a former Indian test cricketer, and captain of the Indian national team. As of October 2008, he was India's most successful Test captain to date, winning 21 tests out of 49 tests he captained and leading India into the 2003 World Cup finals...
also acknowledged Shoaib's performance, "He came to the country with lots [of things] happening behind him...But he showed a lot of character." It has been widely reported that the Knight Riders have released Akhtar from his IPL contract due to his injury history but the Knight Riders' officials have denied these reports and said they are still in talks with the fast bowler.
Test five-wicket innings
| Test five-wicket innings |
| Number | |Match | |City/Country | |Season |
|---|
| 1 |
5/43 |
3 |
South Africa |
Durban, S.A.The Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country surrounded by South Africa.Modern...
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Kingsmead |
1998 |
| 2 |
5/75 |
13 |
Sri Lanka |
Peshawar' onMouseout='HidePop("11734")' href="http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Pakistan">Pakistan Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located at the crossroads of South Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia...
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Arbab Niaz Stadium Arbab Niaz Stadium is a Test cricket ground in Peshawar, North West Frontier Province, Pakistan. It replaced the Peshawar Club Ground as the home ground for the Peshawar cricket team in 1985. The ground has hosted 17 ODIs since 1984 , and seven Test matches since 1995, most recently in 2003...
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1999 |
| 3 |
5/24 |
16 |
West Indies |
Sharjah Sharjah is the third largest and most populous city in the United Arab Emirates. It is located along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula.Sharjah is the seat of government of the emirate of Sharjah...
, UAEThe United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Southwest Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman and Saudi Arabia. The UAE consists of seven states, termed emirates, which are Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Quwain, Ras...
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Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium The Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium is in the emirate of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. It was originally constructed in the early 1980s and has been much improved over the years.-Test matches:...
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2002 |
| 4 |
6/11 |
19 |
Australia |
ColomboColombo is the largest city and commercial capital of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, the capital city of Sri Lanka. Colombo is a busy and vibrant city with a mixture of modern life and colonial buildings and ruins and a city...
, Sri LankaSri Lanka , officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka , is an island country in South Asia, located about off the southern coast of India...
|
PSS |
2002 |
| 5 |
6/50 |
25 |
Bangladesh |
Peshawar' onMouseout='HidePop("56079")' href="http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Pakistan">Pakistan Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located at the crossroads of South Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia...
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Arbab Niaz Stadium Arbab Niaz Stadium is a Test cricket ground in Peshawar, North West Frontier Province, Pakistan. It replaced the Peshawar Club Ground as the home ground for the Peshawar cricket team in 1985. The ground has hosted 17 ODIs since 1984 , and seven Test matches since 1995, most recently in 2003...
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2003 |
| 6 |
5/48 |
27 |
New Zealand |
Wellington, New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Māori named New Zealand Aotearoa, commonly translated as The Land of the Long White Cloud...
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Basin ReserveThe Basin Reserve , is a cricket ground in Wellington, New Zealand, used for Test, first-class and one-day cricket. Some argue that its proximity to the city, its Historic Place status and its age make it the most famous cricket ground in New Zealand. The Basin Reserve is the only cricket ground in...
|
2003 |
| 7 |
6/30 |
27 |
New Zealand |
Wellington, New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Māori named New Zealand Aotearoa, commonly translated as The Land of the Long White Cloud...
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Basin ReserveThe Basin Reserve , is a cricket ground in Wellington, New Zealand, used for Test, first-class and one-day cricket. Some argue that its proximity to the city, its Historic Place status and its age make it the most famous cricket ground in New Zealand. The Basin Reserve is the only cricket ground in...
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2003 |
| 8 |
5/60 |
30 |
Sri Lanka |
Faisalabad is a city located in the province of Punjab, Pakistan. It was formerly known as Lyallpur. Faisalabad is the third largest city in Pakistan after Karachi and Lahore. Before the foundation of the city in 1880, the area was very thinly populated. The population has risen from 9,171 in 1901 to 179,000...
, PakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located at the crossroads of South Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia...
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Iqbal Stadium Iqbal Stadium is a Test cricket ground in Faisalabad, Pakistan. Previous names for the ground include Lyallpur Stadium, National Stadium, and City Stadium. The current name honours Pakistani poet Sir Allama Muhammad Iqbal. Capacity is 25,000. It has hosted 25 test matches and 14 One Day...
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2004 |
| 9 |
5/99 |
31 |
Australia |
PerthPerth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. With a population of 1,650,000 , Perth ranks fourth amongst the nation's cities, with a growth rate consistently above the national average....
, AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
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WACA Ground The WACA is a sports stadium in Perth, Western Australia. WACA are the initials of its owners and operators, the Western Australian Cricket Association....
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2004 |
| 10 |
5/109 |
32 |
Australia |
MelbourneMelbourne is the capital city and most populous city of the State of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne city centre is the anchor of the larger geographical area and statistical division known as the Greater Melbourne metropolitan area – of which Melbourne is...
, AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
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MCGThe Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park in inner Melbourne, home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the largest stadium in Australia, and holds the world record for the highest light towers at any sporting venue. The MCG is within walking distance of...
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2004 |
| 11 |
5/71 |
36 |
EnglandThe England cricket team is the cricket team which represents England and Wales. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end of 1996.England and Australia were the first teams...
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LahoreLahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. Historically the main city of the undivided Punjab, it is often called the Garden of Mughals because of its rich Mughal heritage...
, PakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located at the crossroads of South Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia...
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Gaddafi Stadium Gaddafi Stadium is a Test cricket ground in Lahore, Pakistan. It was designed by Pakistani architect Murat Khan and completed in 1959. Some additions were added many years later by Nayyar Ali Dada....
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2005 |
Test ten-wicket matches
| Test ten-wicket Matches |
| Number | |Match | |City/Country | |Season |
|---|
| 1 |
10/80 |
25 |
Bangladesh |
Peshawar' onMouseout='HidePop("68825")' href="http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Pakistan">Pakistan Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located at the crossroads of South Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia...
|
Arbab Niaz Stadium Arbab Niaz Stadium is a Test cricket ground in Peshawar, North West Frontier Province, Pakistan. It replaced the Peshawar Club Ground as the home ground for the Peshawar cricket team in 1985. The ground has hosted 17 ODIs since 1984 , and seven Test matches since 1995, most recently in 2003...
|
2003 |
| 2 |
11/78 |
27 |
New Zealand |
Wellington, New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Māori named New Zealand Aotearoa, commonly translated as The Land of the Long White Cloud...
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Basin ReserveThe Basin Reserve , is a cricket ground in Wellington, New Zealand, used for Test, first-class and one-day cricket. Some argue that its proximity to the city, its Historic Place status and its age make it the most famous cricket ground in New Zealand. The Basin Reserve is the only cricket ground in...
|
2003 |
ODI five-wicket matches
| ODI five-wicket matches |
| Number | |Match | |City/Country | |Season |
|---|
| 1 |
5/19 |
42 |
New Zealand |
Karachiis the largest city, main seaport and the financial capital of Pakistan, and the capital of the province of Sindh. It is the 3rd largest city in the world by population and 20th largest city of the world, in terms of metropolitan population. It is Pakistan's premier centre of banking, industry, and...
, PakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located at the crossroads of South Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia...
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National Stadium The National Stadium is a cricket stadium in Karachi, Pakistan. It is currently used for cricket matches, and is home to Karachi's domestic cricket teams. The stadium is able to hold 34,228 spectators, making it the second largest stadium in Pakistan after Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore...
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2001 |
| 2 |
6/16 |
60 |
New Zealand |
Wellington, New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Māori named New Zealand Aotearoa, commonly translated as The Land of the Long White Cloud...
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Basin ReserveThe Basin Reserve , is a cricket ground in Wellington, New Zealand, used for Test, first-class and one-day cricket. Some argue that its proximity to the city, its Historic Place status and its age make it the most famous cricket ground in New Zealand. The Basin Reserve is the only cricket ground in...
|
2002 |
| 3 |
5/25 |
64 |
Australia |
Australia, AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
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GABBA GroundThe Gabba is a major sports stadium in Brisbane, the capital of Queensland. It is named after the suburb of Woolloongabba, in which it is located. The official name of the ground, however, is still Brisbane Cricket Ground....
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2002 |
| 4 |
5/54 |
127 |
EnglandThe England cricket team is the cricket team which represents England and Wales. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end of 1996.England and Australia were the first teams...
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LahoreLahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. Historically the main city of the undivided Punjab, it is often called the Garden of Mughals because of its rich Mughal heritage...
, PakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located at the crossroads of South Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia...
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Gaddafi Stadium Gaddafi Stadium is a Test cricket ground in Lahore, Pakistan. It was designed by Pakistani architect Murat Khan and completed in 1959. Some additions were added many years later by Nayyar Ali Dada....
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2005 |
Controversies and injuries
Shoaib's career has been plagued with injuries, controversies, and accusations of bad attitude. After shooting to stardom at a young age due to his devastating pace, he became more interested in glamour rather than cementing his career. Although he eventually crossed the 100 mph barrier, his attitude took its toll on his reputation as well as his fitness. After a poor showing in the 2003 World Cup, he got involved in a verbal spat with then captain
Waqar YounisWaqar Younis Maitla , nicknamed Wiki, is a former Pakistani cricketer, widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time....
. Later he was axed along with other players, including Younis. In a triangular series in 2003 in Sri Lanka, he was caught tampering with the ball, making him the second player ever to be banned on ball tampering charges. The same year he was banned for one Test and two ODIs for abusing
Paul AdamsPaul Regan Adams is a former South African cricketer, a chinaman bowler who has played for the national team sporadically since the 1990s. Meanwhile, his first class cricket career registered 412 wickets....
in a match against South Africa. In the 2004 home series with India, he struggled with wrist and back injuries, which raised questions about their authenticity. During the final Test he cited injury and chose not to bowl halfway through but was met with raised eyebrows when he later turned up to bat, apparently enjoying himself. Although his injuries were not proved to be fake, his reputation suffered, especially after Haq's outburst in a post match press conference. His relationship with the captain and the coach deteriorated further partially due to his manipulative nature and partially due to politics.
He was sent back from the 2005 Australia tour with a hamstring injury amid rumors of indiscipline, lack of commitment, and attitudinal complaints. He was subsequently fined by the PCB for avoiding a late night curfew. At this point, once loved Shoaib was reviled alike by teammates, opponents and cricket fans. The rest of his career was riddled with ankle and knee injuries which forced him to undergo a surgery in February 2006, until finally he was banned for two years for using performance enhancing drugs.
In November 2006, the liaison officer assigned to the Pakistani team in India, Anil Kaul, alleged that Shoaib had slapped coach Bob Woolmer following a fight over the music to be played in the team bus on the eve of ICC Champions Trophy. Both Shoaib and Woolmer have, however, strongly denied the allegations.
Drug scandal
On October 16, 2006 Shoaib was suspended by the
PCBThe Pakistan Cricket Board is responsible for all major cricket including Test cricket played in Pakistan. It controls and organizes all tours and matches undertaken by the Pakistan national cricket team....
, along with
Mohammed AsifMuhammad Asif is a Pakistani cricketer. He is primarily a right-arm fast-medium bowler. Early in his career he was compared to the Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath, known for extreme accuracy....
after the pair were tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance
nandroloneNandrolone is an anabolic steroid that may be present naturally in the human body, albeit in minute quantities of less than 0.4 ng/ml. Nandrolone is most commonly sold commercially as its decanoate ester and less commonly as a phenylpropionate ester...
. They were consequently pulled from the ICC Champions Trophy 2006. Former PCB chairman later stated that he had always suspected Shoaib of substance abuse due to his consistent "reservations" to drug tests. Pakistan captain Inzamam ul Haq had also previously complained about Shoaib's drug abuse but was not acted upon by the PCB. Pakistan news reports state that federal capital police had arrested Shoaib along with drugs some three years ago. Shoaib was then reportedly seen participating in the smoking of marijuana at a night club, violating the curfew for the team in their Test series against England.
Shoaib immediately declared his innocence and he declined knowingly taking any performance enhancing drugs. In a statement issued to the press, he claimed that he could never cheat team-mates or opponents. During a hearing with the PCB Anti-Doping Committee (ADC), he along with Asif maintained taking non-steroidal dietary supplements. He, however, failed to convince the committee of his innocence. In its report submitted to PCB, ADC recommended a two year ban.
On November 1, 2006 PCB handed down a two-year suspension to Shoaib and a one-year suspension to Mohammad Asif, banning them from professional cricket during the period. Shoaib had subsequently been added to
Pakistan Olympic AssociationPakistan Olympic Association is the National Olympic Committee of Pakistan. The association was established in 1948 to oversee the active participation of the newly independent state at the Olympiad. Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the first Governor-General of the country also became the patron-in-chief of...
list of doping offenders. However, on December 5, 2006 represented by his lawyer
Abid Hassan MintoAbid Hassan Minto aka Abid Minto عابد حسن منٹو is a constitutional expert and senior lawyer of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. He is also a literary critic and a leftwing civic and political leader...
, Shoaib was cleared on appeal.
Acquittal
On December 5, 2006 Shoaib and Mohammad Asif were acquitted by the tribunal appointed to review their appeals against the drugs ban imposed on them by an earlier committee. After a clear hearing from Shoib's lawyer, Mr.
Abid Hassan MintoAbid Hassan Minto aka Abid Minto عابد حسن منٹو is a constitutional expert and senior lawyer of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. He is also a literary critic and a leftwing civic and political leader...
, the three-man committee, headed by Justice Fakhruddin Ebrahim, voted two to one in favour of the acquittal. Haseeb Ahsan, former Test cricketer, and Ebrahim were in favour of the acquittal while the third member, Danish Zaheer, dissented. “Exceptional circumstances” were cited including discrepancies between the instantaneous offence charges of doping that were laid and the quick delivery of a very harsh verdict. The complete drug testing procedure was concluded to have been technically flawed as it did not follow standard procedures. Other established facts by the committee included that the duo were not aware of the banned drug to be present in their supplements because PCB itself had not informed them of the dangers of contaminated supplements.
Both Shoaib and Mohammed Asif were thankful to the PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf for giving them a fair trial and their team mates, captain, and coach for the moral support. They did not however play in the 2006 Nov-Dec West Indies vs. Pakistan series held in Pakistan because the PCB has recommended that they play domestic games first to recover form and fitness.
http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/pakistan/content/story/271347.html
However, WADA, the
World Anti-Doping AgencyThe World Anti-Doping Agency , , is an independent foundation created through a collective initiative led by the International Olympic Committee . It was set up on November 10, 1999 in Lausanne, Switzerland to promote, coordinate and monitor the fight against drugs in sport...
was to challenge Pakistan's decision to lift bans on fast bowlers Shoaib and Mohammad Asif by taking the case to the
Court of Arbitration for SportThe Court of Arbitration for Sport is an international arbitration body set up to settle disputes related to sports...
in
LausanneLausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, situated on the shores of Lake Geneva , and facing Évian-les-Bains and with the Jura mountains to its north-west. Lausanne is located some northeast of Geneva. It is the capital of the canton of Vaud and of the district of...
,
SwitzerlandSwitzerland , officially the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 states named cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities...
.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/other_international/pakistan/6183997.stm The ICC, cricket's world governing body, has supported the WADA appeal adding that it was committed to a dope free game.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/12/18/sports/AS_SPT_CRK_Pakistan_Doping.php
On March 1, 2007 Shoaib and Asif were ruled out of the Pakistani squad for the
2007 Cricket World CupThe 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup was the ninth edition of the tournament and took place in the West Indies from 13 March to 28 April 2007, using the sport's One Day International format...
by team officials, minutes before the squad was to depart for the West Indies. The team management along with the PCB said their injuries were too severe to risk taking them to the Caribbean. Since neither of the two had been declared fit they had not undergone official doping tests.
On July 2, 2007 the Court of Arbitration for Sport dropped the case, ruling it had no jurisdiction to challenge the decision made by PCB.
On May 21, 2009, Shoaib Akhtar was dropped from his country's World Championship Twenty20 squad because of genital viral warts, previously reported as a skin infection.
Other controversies
In August 2007, Shoaib is reported to have used foul language against PCB protesting the imposing of fine of Rs. 300,000 for indiscipline during the national camp in Karachi.
In the week before the inaugural World Twenty20, held in South Africa, Shoaib was rumoured to have hit fellow Pakistani teammate Mohammad Asif with a bat, leaving a bruise on his left thigh. According to sources, the two were involved in a dressing room spat which resulted in Asif being struck by a bat on his left thigh. Sources said the fight between the two started after Asif and
Shahid AfridiSahibzada Mohammad Shahid Khan Afridi , popularly known as Shahid Afridi is a Pakistani cricketer currently playing for the Pakistani national team in the international circuit...
disagreed with Shoaib that he shared the same stature as Imran Khan in Pakistan cricket and even ridiculed him for making such a comparison. The injury was not thought to be anything more serious than a bruise but a team investigation into the matter was pending. After the initial inquiry, it would found that Shoaib was at fault and he was subsequently recalled from the Twenty20 World Cup squad and was sent home. He was also banned for 5 matches by the PCB and a lifetime ban may also seem imminent. Shoaib later claimed that Afridi was responsible for the fight, saying "He made some ill remarks about my family. And I could not tolerate them." Afridi however, denied these allegations adding that Asif would have suffered more injuries but for his intervention. Even Asif chipped in saying that Shoaib was lying and that "Shahid Afridi had nothing to do with the fight." saying that "he has not apologised to me." Shoaib later patched up with his team mates including Shahid Afridi & Mohammad Asif
On April 1, 2008 Akhtar was banned for five years for violating the players' code of conduct. The ban extended to all cricket for and in Pakistan. Despite the ban not preventing him from playing in the
Indian Premier LeagueThe Indian Premier League , is a Twenty20 cricket competition created by the Board of Control for Cricket in India and chaired by the Chairman & Commissioner IPL, BCCI Vice President Lalit Modi...
, the IPL governing council decided not to allow Shoaib to play in the tournament until the end of the ban or unless it is lifted. IS Bindra, a member of the council, was quoted as saying, "Even though they [the PCB] have cleared him to play for IPL, we felt that international discipline needs to be respected." Meanwhile, Shoaib vowed to go to great lengths to fight the ban, "I will appeal, as is my right. If that fails I will go to court, if that fails then I will go to the Supreme Court." On April 3, PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf served a legal notice on Shoaib, calling on him to retract statements he made to a news channel, alleging the ban was punishment in return for refusing to give the chairman a share of his earnings from the Indian Premier League, Ashraf also sought damages of Rs100 million (approximately US$1.6 million) for "defaming him personally" and an additional Rs100 million to the PCB for "sullying the name of the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Pakistan Cricket team." A three-man appellate tribunal announced on April 30 that they had temporarily upheld Shoaib's five-year ban, deciding to revist the appeal hearing in June. Despite Shoaib later retracting his claims and also issuing an unconditional apology for "any grief or embarrassment that may have been caused to the nation, particularly to the PCB chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf", Ashraf's legal counsel filed a Rs22 crore (approx US$3.37 million) defamation suit against Shoaib in a civil court in Lahore on May 2. On May 4, the PCB's appellate tribunal suspended the five-year ban for one month, until they reconvene on June 4, allowing Shoaib to take part in the ongoing IPL. A day later, the PCB announced that they will no longer pursue the defamation suit following a reconciliation between Shoaib and chairman Nasim Ashraf at the house of Rehman Malik, a key political official, in
IslamabadIslām ābād is the capital of Pakistan, and is the tenth largest city in Pakistan with an estimated population of over 673,766 in 2009...
. "My honour has been vindicated and now the defamation lawsuit will not be pursued," Ashraf was quoted as saying.
Shoaib Akhtar was on September 4, 2008 sent home by British immigration officials after landing at Heathrow airport without a valid working visa, authorities said he could not play without a working visa, though Akhtar had a valid visa to visit England but not a working visa, which is a prerequisite to play in county cricket. He subsequently obtained the necessary visa and returned for a short stint with English county side Surrey.
Akhtar also threatened to sue the Pakistan Cricket Board after it was revealed that he had contracted a sexually transmitted disease (genital warts) and thus dropped from the 2009 world Twenty20 championship.
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