'Paindu' Pakistan captains didn't know how to handle me: Shoaib Akhtar

World's fastest bowler also talks about the disunity among the team in the 2011 World Cup semi-final against India

KARACHI: World's fastest bowler Shoaib Akhtar, in an interview with Indian cricket convert commentator Harsha Bhogle, said that the Pakistan captains he played under never had a vision because they were self-centred.

Shoaib, who has had a controversial career himself, blamed the 'paindu' Pakistani captains for not handling him rightly and in return ruining his career as a whole.

When asked if he was a headache for the captain he played under more than the opposition, he replied: "Pakistan team captain himself used to be a headache because he did not know how to handle me.

"Pakistan has seen a lot 'paindu' captains coming in.

"I always say if I had played under Imran Khan, who was a selfless person, I would have been a different person. He knew how to make a star."

He also stated an occasion where some senior players threatened to beat him up.

"We landed in Australia and all the media was huddling behind me. During a Test in Brisbane, four seniors came into my room to beat me up saying 'what do you think of yourself'. I said please try but I will give it back to you. They later apologised to me that we were really jealous of you. Even today they tell me that we are sorry but we were very insecure because of you.”

Furthermore, he talked about the disunity among the team which caused them the loss in the 2011 World Cup semi-final against India.

“Pakistan team never won or loss in the ground, they always won or lost in the dressing room. We never played for each other.

“In 2011, I fought with Shahid Afrid and Waqar Younis that I want to play this semi-final. It’s a 10-over match. If we dismiss Virendra Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar inside the initial overs, the team will go down easily. The pressure is on them. We are playing against them at their home, it is such a big occasion, it’s against Pakistan. We got nothing to lose. But they didn’t let me play citing the reason that I am unfit.

“I went in and bowled six overs with my complete run-up in anger.

“I was really disappointed with Pakistan team on two occasions; when Pakistan batting let us down in the 1999 World Cup and second time it was in 2011. We were being served the World Cup in a plate. We had to go out there fight bravely and just win. Even if we lost, no one was going to shoot us."

He also talked about how during 1997, players were being accused of match-fixing which left him a quandary.

“There was a time when in 1997 I did not knew who I was running with or playing with. I never knew who was playing for Pakistan and who against it.”

You can watch the complete interview here.