Fast Bowlers, Pakistan’s strongest suit (part 4)
Shoaib Akhtar
Shoaib Akhtar is the fastest bowler ever to grace the game of cricket. He was a natural successor to the legacy of fast bowling legends like, Imran Khan, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Wasim-Akram-c96292, and Waqar Younis. Till date, the “Rawalpindi Express” is the last great fast bowler Pakistan has produced.
He emerged on the scene as a genuinely quick bowler. In the start, his bowling was all about pace and bounce to hit the batsman rather than the stumps. There was no better sight, than to see the speedster running in and making the batsman tremble. From the start, he did build on a reputation of hitting the batsman’s helmet.
He was brought up under the shadow of legends like, Wasim and Waqar. Consequently, he learnt the art of swinging the old and the new ball from the Masters of swing. He knew, on the lifeless pitches of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755, reverse swinging the old ball is a crucial weapon.
Afterwards, he added more weapons to his bowling armoury, to give it more strength and variety. Akhtar’s terrifying run-up towards the batsman and fast bowling action made for an exceptionally deceptive slower delivery. It was seen in the Test series against England at home in 2005. He trapped 17 English victims in that series, most of them fell to his slower delivery.
But his career has been disturbed by threatening injuries, and off the field controversies. Resultantly, in his career of 13 years, he has played only 46 Test matches. He has missed more than half of Pakistan’s Test matches during his era.
Overall, he has an excellent Test record. In all, he has played 46 Test matches and has scalped 178 Test victims at an impressive average of 25 with a phenomenal strike rate of 45. His tally of 178 wickets includes 12 five-wicket-hauls and 2 ten-wicket-hauls with a best of 6/11 in a single innings and 11/78 in a match.
In Pakistan, he has featured in 21 Test matches, taking 83 wickets at an average of 26. His tally of 83 wickets includes 5 five-wicket-hauls with the best of 6/11.
Outside the home country, he has appeared in 20 Test matches, taking 74 wickets at an average of 27. In the hunt of his 74 victims, he has gathered 5 five-wicket-hauls.
Shoaib’s ODI credentials are very impressive. In 152 ODI appearances he has gathered 235 scalps at an average of 24 with a best of 6/16. His tally of 235 ODI victims includes 4 five-wicket-hauls.
In 1999, in the Asian Test championship match against India, Waqar was replaced by the fiery Shoaib Akhtar. In the first innings of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Rahul-c83321 Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar, clean bowled.
The current crop of Pakistan fast bowlers is immensely talented. Pakistan is still producing quality fast bowlers like, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif, and Umar Gul.
Only few Pakistani fast bowlers have been as smart as Mohammad Asif. He bowls a nagging line and length. He swings it in the air and moves it off the wicket. From the start of his career he led comparisons to the veteran Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath.
So far, he has played 23 Test matches and has taken 106 wickets at a very impressive average of 24.
Mohammad Amir is the new teenage sensation, who has rocked the world with his seam and swing bowling. As a left arm fast bowler, he is a natural successor to Wasim Akram. The left-arm great said that Amir is cleverer than him when he was at the age of 18. Amir, so far, has played 14 Test matches and has taken 51 wickets at an average of 29.
There is nobody better than Umar Gul when the ball is reversing. He is brilliant with his Yorkers with the old ball. As a result, he has scalped 108 victims in 30 Test matches at an average of 33.
Fast bowling resources don’t look limited for Pakistan when you still have in your wings, promising youngsters like, Anwer http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ali-Khan-c996, Mohammad Talha, Mohammad Irfan and Sohail Khan.
Tags: