The Rawalpindi Express goes off the track

Shoaib Akhtar incites criticism for jesting at former teammates on ‘Comedy Nights with Kapil’.

KARACHI: Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has found new ways of staying in the news, despite retiring from cricket four years ago. Akhtar, who recently appeared on the popular Indian show Comedy Nights with Kapil, took subtle jabs at former teammates Kamran Akmal and Shahid Afridi, inciting criticism for ‘insulting’ the Pakistani cricket team.

Not only did Akhtar, fondly remembered as the Rawalpindi Express, take aim at the Akmal brothers and their below-par wicket-keeping skills, but also made fun of how some senior Pakistani players are not well-versed in English. Akhtar made fun of former teammate Shabbir Ahmed’s English, narrating an incident where Ahmed, upon receiving the ‘man of the match’ award, credited his win to the moisture on the wicket for his bowling, saying, “There was a lot of moisturiser on the wicket.”



When Akhtar was questioned about which Pakistani player he expected to drop the most catches, he answered, “Umer Akmal.” He compared Akmal’s keeping to that of a goalkeeper, saying he is never able to catch the ball.  The sportsman also made fun of Afridi and Misbahul Haq’s age, saying that, while the former’s age doesn’t seem to increase despite having been around for years, Haq has become captain at an age when people tend to retire. “If you combine Misbah, Younis (Khan) and Afridi’s age, then you already have a combined age of 150 years,” quipped Akhtar.

Akhtar’s remarks didn’t go well with many noted Pakistanis, particularly king of comedy Umer Sharif, who said he was deeply hurt that he insulted the cricket team on an Indian show. He spoke about Akhtar’s comments on his show Har Lamha Purjosh. Sharif addressed Shoaib Akhtar as ‘marhoom’, saying the former cricketer was dead to the nation after his harsh comments.



Fakhre Alam, former musician and current chairman of Sindh Board of Film Censorship, took to Twitter to express his dismay at the cricketer’s jests. “I have known Akhtar for a long time and I am absolutely disappointed by what he did on a cheap comedy show in India. Shameful...” he tweeted.

I have known Shoaib Akhtar for a long time, I am absolutely disappointed by what he did on a cheap comedy show in India. Shameful...

— Fakhr-e-Alam S.I & S.E (@falamb3) March 3, 2015

 

Shoaib Akhtar say his phupi more fit than me. She probably more fit than him too cos he have fitness of donner kebab himself.

— Nasir Jamshed (@NasirJamshed_) March 2, 2015

 

Found Shoaib Akhtar where he truly belongs: Comedy Nights With Kapil. Stay there, punter.

— Nadeem Farooq Paracha (@NadeemfParacha) March 2, 2015

Published in The Express Tribune, March 5^th, 2015.

Like Life & Style on Facebook, follow @ETLifeandStyle on Twitter for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.