End of the Rawalpindi Express

Afridi says risk of playing Akhtar could not have been taken.

MOHALI:

A shadow of the tear-away who once terrified batsmen, as well as cricket administrators worldwide, Shoaib Akhtar’s career ended meekly, denied the headline farewell he cherished.

The 35-year-old, out of form and out of shape, was deemed surplus after being clobbered for 70 in nine overs against New Zealand. That mauling prompted him to announce he would retire after the tournament, but one last shot at India in the semi-finals beckoned if only Shahid Afridi and Waqar Younis could be tempted to take the gamble.

They resisted and their caution was rewarded when Wahab Riaz, Akhtar’s junior by 10 years, took a career-best five wickets to keep Pakistan in the game.

“We wanted him to play but he was struggling,” said Afridi. “We could not play someone who is at 50 per cent or 60 per cent of peak fitness. Riaz played in his place and you have seen his performance.”

Akhtar had already admitted that time had caught up with him, opting to jump before he was pushed in an emotional retirement speech earlier in the tournament in Sri Lanka.

Shoaib, who made his international debut in 1997, took 178 wickets in 46 Tests. He ended his career three wickets short of 250 in 163 One-Day Internationals and took 19 wickets in 15 Twenty20s.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 1^st, 2011.