Shoaib Akhter Profile

Shoaib Akhtar
Pakistan

Profile: Shoaib Akhtar proved from just his third Test at Durban in 1998 that he had raw, explosive pace, when he claimed five for 43 with the wickets of Kallis, Hudson, Boucher, Klusener and de Villiers. Although once guilty of focusing too much on the speedometer (he became the first man to officially clock a delivery of more than 100 miles-per-hour), he has since matured into another skilled exponent of reverse swing, emulating countrymen such as Sarfraz Nawaz, Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. He proved his resilience in 2005 when, after receiving criticism from all quarters about his fitness and attitude, he claimed 17 wickets on slow pitches to help beat England 2-0 in the Test series. His use of the yorker and slower ball showed a man who had mastered his craft, while his stamina was unquestionable.

Full Name: Shoaib Akhtar.

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Birthday: August 13, 1975.

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Birthplace: Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

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Star Sign: Leo.

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Height: 5ft 11in.

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Nickname: Shobi or The Rawalpindi Express

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Residence: Rawalpindi in Pakistan and anywhere else I’m playing around the world.

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Family: Unmarried; three older brothers and one younger sister.

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Education: Elliott High School; Asgharmall College, Rawalpindi.

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Teams: Pakistan, Khan Research Laboratories, Rawalpindi, Worcestershire.

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Position: Right-hand batsman; right-arm fast bowler.

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Fielding Position: Anywhere I can rest, like third man or fine leg.

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Test Debut: Vs West Indies at Rawalpindi, November/December 1997.

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Highest Test score: 47 vs India at Faisalabad, January 2006.

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Best Test Bowling: 6 for 11 vs New Zealand at Lahore, May 2002.

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ODI Debut: Vs Zimbabwe at Harare, March 1998.

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Highest Score: 43 vs England at Cape Town, February 2003.

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Best Bowling: 6 for 16 vs New Zealand at Karachi, April 2002.