Umar Gul versus http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shoaib-Akhtar-c90080 - Part 2
With his off pitch antics to one side he is still one of Pakistan’s most lethal bowlers. Part of a dying breed of bowlers who don’t shy away from bowling a Yorker in pressure situations he is a proven wicket taker at every stage of the game. His 247 wickets
in a 163 ODI’s demonstrate Akhtar’s explosive ability.
Though slightly expensive with an economy rate of 4.76 runs per over, his ability to take crucial wickets is what gives the selectors such a hard time when it comes to picking a team.
Bowling from the other end is Pakistan’s http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747.
As a person, Umar Gul is known to be quiet, humble and a man of simple interests. Having performed well in both formats of the game and the only time the talented seamer was not included in the squad was due to the occasional injury, as usually a hamstring
injury, would rule him out.
When the T20 format of the game was inaugurated, it seemed that Umar Gul had found his true calling. Leading from the front he was the highest wicket taker in the opening http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ICC-World-Cup-2011-c100625 World Twenty20 tournament. His tally of 13 wickets ensuring he was the best bowler
in the new format. He was one of the nation’s star performers when they won the T20 World Cup in 2009, returning home to a rapturous hero’s welcome.
Likened by many for his bowling style to Australian seamer, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Glenn-Donald-McGrath-c60183, his control of the ball off the seam and disciplined line and length mean that even if he is not taking wickets, *insert laugh here, the batsmen will be kept under pressure at all
times.
Shoaib Akhtar and Umar Gul are now Pakistan’s two main strike bowlers. Both can maneuver the new ball and are first choice to bowl the last few overs of the innings as well. There is an air of Yin and Yang about the partnership with personalities that are
poles apart. The only things common between the two are their passion and bowling ability.
While Akhtar is more offensive in his bowling, not afraid of intimidating the batsmen with bouncers or trying to bowl them out with Yorkers, Gul is more dependent on his line and length for taking crucial wickets.
One thing is clear that if Akhtar can stay fit and keep his head in the game and play a few games with Gul, the Pakistani side has possibly one of the most lethal partnerships in the modern game. Akhtar’s attacking style complimented by Gul’s discipline
would mean that the batsmen would always have to be on their toes.
While neither a fully established partnership nor one with much history surrounding it, the only thing that can be stated for certain is that the pairing has potential. Akhtar may be nearing the end of his career but the bowler still has a few years in him.
A few years in which maybe, the Gul-Akhtar pairing can do great things for their side, and for the history of cricket.
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