Shoaib Akhtar

Shoaib Akhtar (born 13 August, 1975 in Rawalpindi, Punjab)

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13 August - 1975 - Rawalpindi - Punjab

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is a Pakistani cricket player. He is known for his ability to bowl at great speeds that even the best batsmen find difficult to handle. However, in recent times, he has been criticized for focusing too much on raw pace and neglecting accuracy. He can also swing the ball at high speeds, whether it be conventional (outswing or inswing) or reverse swing. He is a genuine match winner for the Pakistani cricket team and brings a lot of excitement into the game whenever he plays. He is sometimes referred to as the "Rawalpindi Express" after his home town.

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Pakistan - Cricket - Batsmen - Swing - Outswing - Inswing - Reverse swing - Pakistani cricket team

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He is the world's fastest bowler, and, as of early 2004, he has bowled the fastest recorded ball in Test cricket. His usual speed in One-day International cricket is about 95 mph (153 km/h), but he has also bowled over 100 mph (160 km/h) twice in One dayers, with his fastest recorded delivery being clocked at 161.4 km/h.

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Fastest - Bowler - Test cricket - One-day International

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During the 2004-05 season, in which Akhtar played a test series against Australia. Akhtar had cut down on his pace and concentrate on line and length, for that series only. This succeeded to bring him cheap Australian wickets. His off field achievements that series certainly outweighed his efforts on the field with various pictures of him socialising with women in nightclubs surfacing.

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In light of Shoaib's achievements, he has recently missed out on some games (including the very competitive India-Pakistan series for 2004/05 season) and the team has performed exceptionally well in his absence. Rumours (which could well be true) have circulated that the team thrives without him and that he is actually a hindrance to their success.

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Shoaib and Australian fast bowler Brett Lee often divide opinion on who is the best genuine pace bowler in world cricket; additionally, both have fierce competition in the shape of England's Steve Harmison and New Zealand's Shane Bond.

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Brett Lee - Steve Harmison - Shane Bond

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