KARACHI:
Despite being attacked by Shoaib Akhtar in his book and interviews, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has supported the fast-bowler’s claims that Sachin Tendulkar was scared of his pace, saying he was a witness of the shivering in front of the maverick pacer.
In his book, ‘Controversially Yours’, Akhtar wrote that the batsman was scared of his bowling, a comment that has caused furore across the border, forcing publishers to cancel all launch-related and publicity events.
However, when asked about Akhtar’s claims, Afridi showed no hesitation in backing the bowler.
“Shoaib is telling the truth,” said Afridi. “Tendulkar was afraid of him and while fielding, I saw Tendulkar’s legs shivering while facing his bowling.”
However, the all-rounder added that it was not an unusual feature of a batsman.
“There are times when every batsman feels the pressure, it happens against Saeed Ajmal even.”
The former captain, however, was critical of Akhtar’s comments against him, blaming Afridi for his omission from the World Cup semi-final line-up against India.
“Shoaib should remember that I apologised to the chairman and manager on his behalf and got him back into the national squad. While he hasn’t lied about other things, he won’t be able to look at me in the eyes after he’s said all that.”
Return unlikely before Sri Lanka series
Meanwhile, Afridi, who retired from international cricket in a protest against the Pakistan Cricket Board’s set-up, showed reluctance to make a quick return.
“There is a lot of pressure on me from fans and friend to make a comeback but I will wait for things to improve further. I will take at least a month to reconsider my decision.” Pakistan will take on Sri Lanka in a full series in the UAE that starts from October 18. However, the experienced cricketer, leading Karachi Dolphins in the ongoing National Twenty20 Cup, said he was not compromising on his form and fitness.
“I am training hard and focusing on improvement with both with the bat and ball.”
Published in The Express Tribune, October 1st, 2011.
COMMENTS (65)
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Shoaib was a great bowler Tendulkar is a great batsmen they both had moments against each other . As far as the fans are concerned i would say just CHILL and watch the videos you want to they r out there on youtube .
@Nightmare for sachin, dravid, lara, sehwag and ganguly: Good video. A bowler's job is the most difficult. Shoaib Akhtar was incredible in his prime, bowling under such pressure on the world stage. Whatever he has become now, you cannot take that away from him. Kudos to Shoaib - thanks for the truly wonderful moments in cricket.
If Afridi kenw that Tendulkar is afraid of Shoaib then why did not he choose him for semifinal match against India?
@frastu singh: That was funny
It is amazing how immature Pakistani cricketers are. Perhaps it is comes down to having the most illiterate bunch of cricketers.
@tendulkar: Were you comfortable while playing express bowling or would prefer slow medium bowlers ?
Actually Tendulkar was never very comfortable against genuine fast bowling.
@Nightmare for sachin, dravid, lara, sehwag and ganguly:
During all this controversy, did anyone hear Sachin saying or reacting to this? In civilized world it is called "Graceful".
Please note 2 key words here - Civilized and Graceful. Which unfortunately is lacking in Mr Malik and some of his followers here.
BTW why this great cricketer was banned by PCB?
Relax guys - In civil society you do not incriminate people for having a view. Both Akhtar and Afridi have a right to their views... and so do Salman Rushdie and Danish Newspapers.. if we can act civilised on these matters, world will be a better place. 6 billion + people... it is only natural that views will be different. Lets not get medieval and prosecute people for that.If you do not like someone's view, dont listen to it...
I would like to remind Mr Afridi who has a very short memory that the whole Pakistan team started shivering when playing with India during last WC and started dropping simple catches, especially during the period when Tendulkar was on the crease. During a WC, Tendulkar scored 18 runs from Akhtar's first over of the match and he was shaking his head vigorously in awe and disbelief. Both of these facts nail Akhtar and Afridi's lies.
Please ignore Afridi, his poor education and mannerism are evident now and in the past and not to worry we will keep on enlightening us with his ordinary and thoughtless comments in future.
Afridi and Akhtar, just like the Pakistani government, have shot themselves in the foot. If they are looking for some post active cricket career, they can kiss it goodbye. I am sure after comments like these they would be welcome in India, the big money of Cricket. Remember Sohail Tanveer -"Hinduon ki zahaniyat hi aisi hai" Where is he now?
Sachin does not have to defend against any tom/dick/harry/afridi/khan/ali/ akhtar. His record is proof enough.
Decide who is the nightmare for world's top-batsman.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=MvkD37naoAo
Shoaib Akhtar Pakistan Eye of the Tiger.
We all love you. The great Shoaib bhai.
I don't know whenever sachin has scored 100 in ODI those matches India has lost mostly. He is not a game winner and a defensive player like Dravid. Shoaib bowling has struck both so many times and Dravid got out on 99 runs that makes him mad. Frustrated Rahul face was like baby crying on the field.
Shahid Afridi obviously suffers from hallucinations. He sees things that do not exist. He once saw a cricket ball and thought it was an apple
Let me just say that Akhtar and Afridi are among the most mean spirited, small cricketers I know. The more they try to belittle others, the smaller and smaller they look. Do they know that ?
Anyone can tell who shivered against whom after watching 2003 WC match of Ind vs Pak, specially when Sachin hit Akhtar 18 in his 1st over. Akhtar only had scary look but no one was scared of his bowling (specially Indian for example even Laxmipati Balaji-a bowler from Indian squad, had hit Akhtar hard when India toured Pak in 2004)
Sachin Tendulkar has played 9 tests in which Shoaib Akhtar was part of Pakistan's team, making 416 runs at an average of 41.60 with one century (194 not out at Multan). 3 of those tests were played in India in which Tendulkar averaged 37 while remaining 6 were in Pakistan when he averaged 44.66.
Sachin Tendulkar has played 19 one day matches in which Shoiab Akhtar was part of Pakistan team, making 864 runs at an average of 45.47 and highest score of 141 which is also his only century in those games. 4 of those matches were played in Australia, 1 in England, 5 in India, 5 in Pakistan, 1 in South Africa, 1 in Sri Lanka and 2 in UAE.
@lMy name is indian: Yes because Pakistani players were not shivering, they dropped many catches.And Tendulkar, who was shivering an feeling uncomfortable scored a vital 80-odd runs.In that case, I prefer to be in the company of the shivering Indians who comfortably won the match!
Useless talk.Lets talk something more important.Childish comments and arguments these!
Afridi and Akhtar, Birds of same feather folk together.
Pakistan don't treat tendulkar or amitabh as some kind of Gods. How come ur God getting out by Shoaib on first ball and fear inside. Indians make them some sort of Supersiticious hype but in Pak ppl don't care about it.
Indian player's got shivers when they lost the recent series in England in all matches after having world title.
Shahid Afridi is also a great player but verbally he can't be taken seriously since he tells several versions of a story in a single breath. Shoaib Akhtar has always been controversial but never corrupt. And Indian media has shown their true colours time and again by spitting venom against Pakistan and fanning hatred and mistrust. Even remarks of Akhtar about Sachin Tendukar have been used as a mean of Pak-Bashing.
I am a Pakistani and would love/respect sports legends from my nation; but would never ascend them (Nauzubillah) to the level of some God, and still remember that they are humans just like all of us at the end of the day.I know many Indians (with a sane and rational mind) would or could agree that Tendulkar is not a match winner, but many are acting as if Akhtar commited an act of blasphemy. Everyone has its own views.....and no human is perfect. I guess that we all must recognize the line that differentiates metaphor from reality.
I would like to remind many of the Indian readers here that Akhtar talked more about/against a number of his former teammates than Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid.
Yes and we all shivered when we saw Afridi eating that ball thinking it to be an apple.
Thank God Afridi is not in the Pakistan Foreign Service . He has a nack of making statements which dont benefit anyone but do antagonize a lot of people.
They also believe Pakistan won all wars against India.
Indians are venting out their frustration here because they have not produced a single fast/pace bowler of quality. In fact, Even their best fast bowlers are worse than the very average Shoaib Akhtar that we saw in the last part of his career).
Like Wasim Akram said,its a ploy to sell his book.Controversy sells.Hayden & Gilchrist also had something controversial to say about Indian players.I remember in a Sharjah match,there was hype about Shoaib terrifying Tendulkar.He was taken off after a few overs with a proper pasting from Tendulkar
Ever body should avoid any bad and negative remarks against Shoaib Akhtar. I agree that Tendulkar is a great batsman and faced so many fast bowlers like Waseem Akram, Waqar Younus, Glen Macgrah, Brett Lee. When Akhtar was in his pick time Brett lee was competing him but Brett Lee himself accepted that he is not concentrating his pace like Akhtar.
Since Akhtar was so lethal and fasted bowler of his time. If we have sporting spirit then we must respect Akhtar as well because he was world class fast bowler of his time. I appreciate Tendulkar as well because he is great batsman and holder of various world records. When Gavaskar was playing and made the highest century record I was thinking nobody will break this record but Tendulkar has crossed this limits and made the highest world record.
Apart from Shoaib and Afridi controversy, the kind of bowlers which Pakistan has produced is a known fact which every one in the game of cricket will always acknowledge. Being a sportsman of repute Tendulkar must come forward and face what Shoaib has said about him.
Pakistan and Gentleman ??? A big Joke. So no wonder, this Afridi will come out one day and say I have not said this. He will retire several times like Imran Khan did. Pakistan always remain in denial mode. This happened in spot fixing in London, in Kargil, Mumbai attack everywhere.. How and why others should give any value to Pakistan ?
@ punjabi
had you watched THE KING TENDULKAR plying in the recent series against England??? i am sure you watched what about the great, the king??? just a bad series.............. and no one take away the greatness of any one based on a single series and my indian friends are consistently talking about Shoib's one over in the 2003 world cup in centurian............ i think they had forgotten that test match in 1999 when tendulkar wore the pads for the whole day and after dravid was bowled out he came to bat.......... and what happened then.............. did you remember so one can say that tendulkar was not a great batsman on his that day's performance then would you agree with that person.............? surely not cricket is the game of ups and downs,,,,,,,,,,,, some day some one played better and the other day the same person played poorly
If you look at the Test and one day records of Akhthar, Afridi and Tendulkar I am not sure who was shivering. When you play at some grounds in England and New Zealand it is very likely all the players from either side will be shivering. I am shivering because Akhthar may charge at me bat in hand.
had you watched Tendulkar batting against Saeed Ajmal in the world cup semis?? its a simple thing that whenever tendulkar comes to middle for batting he never looked as confident as rahul dravid and tha fact is quite obvious as one can judge from is face expressions. and afridi has backed akhtar about tendulkar, it might be the case as on a single day a batsman can slammed a bowler as tendulkar did in 2003 World Cup and on a single day a bowler especially shoaib can pressurise a great batsman like he did against tendulkar in faisalabad test.
its shame to be named in conspiracy novel mr SAQIB. and moreover, if shoib is a legend and a man who plays with rule then he would have been recognized world over. instead he got out of pak team on ground of indiscipline. a blot on gentlemen's game
Indian bowlers were also afrid of afridi to bowl him.
Yes, sachin and every indian playar was afrid of akhter,s bowliing.
The poor guys....Ages have gone they don't produce any fast bowler and now reflecting their frustration.....
People have always watched cricket mostly expecting their favourite batsmen to score runs. But Akhtar is one of the few bowlers who entertained the crowds with his bowling. He was really fast and furious in his bowling
Guys you should be proud of sachin because Shoaib mentioned his name on his book other wise there is also Rahul Dravid, Saurav, Kristen, Lara and many who are struck by Shoaib.. atleast he mention the Top batsman ..what is wrong with you Indian friends ..?
Correctly said Afridi. Tendulkar is obviously scared of a self confessed Ball tamperer. Now it is cerified by a ball chewer. Get off u guys.
That's true if Shoaib can struck the ball on face of gary kirsten, lara so tendulkar must go shivers during when Shoaib bowling was at super-bullte speeds. No one dare to play boldly to fast rawalpindi expres.
About greatness and legend person shoaib and afridi is nothing infront of sachin tendulkar.
The only reason this article is getting hits is because it has the word "Tendulkar" in it. Afridi should thank Tendulkar for getting his book some publicity.
@punjabi: nobody is denying sachins greatness. It refers only a particular which could happen with any one. Sachin is a human not god.did not he bucle in england against pace. Problem with us indian is that we dont want to accept the fact that sachin has never been a match finisher....in tests particularly. Accept it and it wont make any difference on greatness of his batting prowess
According to Afridi, Shoaib Akhter is not lying about any other cricket player and is truthful. In the next breath he says that Shoaib Akhter is lying when talking about him (Afridi)! What a convenient joke? SA is very truthful but if he badmouths me then that is the lie, otherwise he is a fine chap. Afridi and Shoaib make a great pair.
Not only Tendulkar, Gangually was also terified from him, have a doubt watch any match on utube.
Lying is part of the Pakistani Cricket team.. it was expected backing akthar by afridi.
empty vessels sure make a lot of noise.
oh come on guys!! he was asked a question ... n he answered it... truthfully;) y u guys making fun of him??? huh!
@Ali Tanoli: the funny thing is that pakis will actually believe this,i mean lets get real here,do you guys really think a cricketer who has spent years of his life facing bowlers like wasim akram,waqar younis,glen mcgrath,alan donald,couurtly ambrose will really be scared ( i mean really scared as in legs shivering) of this phony who actually gave nothing to his team apart from some controversy. and this afridi,can u really trust him,he'z the guy who almost ate a cricket ball and then said he was giving it some shine,he came to india for the world cup and praised india and indians for their immense hospitality and then went back to pakistan after loosing to india and said indians are bad at heart( and mind u he only did this to take public's mind off the defeat with chunrning out some bogus nationalism). well you only have to look at the record of both players, AKHTAR IS GONE ,AFRIDI IS GONE. BUT THE KING TENDULKAR LIVES ON.
oh...yeahh...i did shivered...are you jokers happy now?
for afridi : HA HAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Lol...Before any more embarrassment you shud retire Mr. Tendulkar!!
Poor indiano white farm chickens.
The cricket ball shivered when Afridi chewed on it.
Aktar visited Afridi last night and next morning He assert that :D