Shoaib Akhtar Update

Shoaib Akhtar was Pakistan’s biggest pace hope but failed to live up to the tag and the nation’s expectations, culminating in a five-year ban yesterday. Here’s a timeline of his unique tale



If you wanted to write about Shoaib Akhtar, going by his figures would be among the worst ways to do it. Nine years, 43 Tests, 169 wickets, 133 ODIs, 208 wickets; it’s not even a tenth of the story. Numerous injuries, a controversial bowling action, lack of discipline and doping charges pepper the icon’s career.

This was followed by the comments about the retainership he was handed, leading to a five-year ban on playing cricket for or in Pakistan yesterday. Here’s a look at the troubles, travails and intrigues of the Rawalpindi Express

1997
Makes his international debut in November in the second Test against West Indies in Rawalpindi.

1999
The breakthrough year; starts with a fiery spell in Kolkata against India in the Coca Cola Asian Test Championships, where he took the wickets of Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar off consecutive balls. At the World Cup, he ends not only as one of the leading wicket-takers, but also its leading star. He ends the year by being called for the first time in his career in Australia by umpires Peter Willey and Darrell Hair and , the match referee; John Reid.

2000
Bowling action is cleared early in the year but a rib injury forces him to miss the start of Nottinghamshire’s county season. A side strain then forces him out for the rest of the season and then a shoulder injury rules him out of a home series against England and he injures his knee and ankle before the year is out.

2001
Returns in March for his first international outing in ten months against New Zealand. Five wickets suggests he is back but breaks down with a hamstring injury nine balls into the next game and is called again for chucking. An University of Western Australia report concludes his action is the result of “unique physical characteristics.” Misses much of England summer tour due to injury and is called again in November in Sharjah but only to be cleared again.

2002
Hit by a brick from the Dhaka crowd in January, forcing him to miss end of tour. Recovers to destroy New Zealand twice at home, in the process bowling the first-ever 100 mph delivery. Blitzes Australia twice later in the year but is banned for an ODI after throwing a bottle into the crowds in Zimbabwe. Caught ball tampering in first Test, but escapes punishment.

2003
Axed from Pakistan team after a poor World Cup. Recalled in May for a triangular in Sri Lanka and becomes the second player ever to be banned for ball tampering. Appointed vice-captain for Test against South Africa but is banned for one Test and two ODIs for abusing Paul Adams.
Misses New Zealand Tests with calf and groin injuries but is photographed one day before enjoying a jet-ski ride. Returns for second Test, helps Pakistan win with a stupendous 11 wickets in the match but gets injured again in the ODI series.

2004
A disappointing series against India ends with a back injury in the final Test. Unable to bowl for the rest of the match, he comes out to bat later, freely smacking boundaries in a 14-ball 28. Inzamam-ul-Haq publicly questions the authenticity of the injury. On the tour to Australia, he is disciplined by match referees and injures his shoulder at Perth. Rumours of disciplinary breaches and problems with the team management emerge.

2005
Starts the year with a hamstring injury and misses most of the VB Series. Hamstring keeps him out of the India tour. On the bright side, he is offered a Bollywood role. Is verbally berated by Worcestershire chairman John Elliott for being a disruptive influence. Comes back for the England series after proving his fitness in a training camp, finishes with 17 wickets before an ankle injury surfaces.

2006
Questions are raised about his action again by Greg Chappell after the Faisalabad Test against India. Ankle injury becomes a stress fracture and rules him out of the ODI series. Doctors discover soon after a degenerative knee condition which threatens to end his career.

2006
Banned for two years after testing positive for the banned substance Nandrolone, Shoaib was sent back to Pakistan and missed the Champions Trophy. The verdict, however, was overturned by a three-man tribunal a month later.

2007
He makes a successful return to the side against South Africa in the second Test, taking four wickets in the first innings. But a hamstring injury forces him to miss the second innings and the rest of the tour.
A televised spat with Bob Woolmer results in Shoaib being fined by the board. Is declared unfit to take part in the World Cup due to injury.

2007
He is named in the Asia XI squad to take on an Africa XI but is withdrawn by the Pakistan board. Leaves a training camp in Karachi without permission and is fined at a disciplinary hearing. A dressing-room spat with Mohammad Asif in South Africa results in him being sent back home prior to the World Twenty20. Is consequently handed a 13-match ban and a huge fine for a number of breaches of discipline. He is also placed on a two-year probationary period during which any disciplinary breaches could result in a life ban.

2008
The PCB’s announcement of new central contracts sees Shoaib demoted from the top category to a retainership. He is handed a 5-year ban, preventing him from playing for and in Pakistan, after accusing the PCB of double standards over awarding of the contracts.

Courtesy: www.cricinfo.com