Shoaib Akhtar was best known as a bowler who would regularly bowl fast in the range of close to 160 kmph. The Pakistan pacer, dubbed the ‘Rawalpindi Express’ had intimidated batsmen from all over the world with his sheer pace. Ever since his retirement from all forms of cricket, Shoaib Akhtar has been a vocal analyst on his Youtube channel and he does not shy away from giving controversial statements. In the past, Shoaib Akhtar has often injured batsmen with his pacy bouncer. Just ask Gary Kirsten, the former South Africa batsman and India coach.

Now, in a recent interaction, Shoaib Akhtar was asked if there was any player who would ask him to not hit him and he replied Muttiah Muralitharan, the former Sri Lanka spinner and the leading Test wicket-taker of all time. Shoaib Akhtar has also revealed how former Pakistan skipper Mohammad Yousuf would ask him to bowl bouncers to Muralitharan so that he could ‘break his fingers’ and that Pakistan could not face his spin.

“There were many who told me not to hit them. Muralitharan was one. Many Indian tailenders would tell me ‘don’t hit us, we have families’. Muralitharan would ask me to bowl slow, and he would get out. Yousuf would ask me to hit him. He would say ‘break his fingers I can’t play his spin’. I bowled Muralitharan a few bouncers but he said ‘don’t do this to me I will die if the ball hits me’,” Akhtar replied.

Controversial statements

Shoaib Akhtar has expressed his thoughts on how star Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah won't be able to play in all three formats of the game due to his current fitness issues.

“Bumrah has a difficult action. He cannot play in all formats. It is his braveness that he showed his skills in Test matches. He is a very hard working guy and is very focused. He knows where he wants to go. But will his back support him?,” Shoaib Akhtar said.

The former Pakistan speedster also claimed that he had predicted that Bumrah would suffer such an injury long back.