By Editor 
Who is the fastest bowler in the world? Even though it has been years since the Rawalpindi Express bid farewell to the game, our subconscious minds say “Shoaib Akhtar”. The Pakistani speedster was a menace, even to the best batsmen in the world, during the peak of his career.
Akhtar finished his run-in international cricket with more than 400 wickets across ODIs and Test cricket. Here are some of the best bowling spells we have seen from Shoaib Akhtar.
4 for 71 v India, Asian Test Championship, Kolkata, 1999
Odds are always stacked against the opposition at Eden Gardens. India has won so many matches in front of the lively Kolkata crowd. When Pakistan came to the venue for an Asian Test Championship in 1999, bookies did not fancy their chances of a victory.
But a young Shoaib Akhtar did not feel intimidated. He silenced the roaring Eden Gardens crowd by uprooting Rahul Dravid’s leg stump with an unstoppable yorker.
The crowd became lively again when Sachin Tendulkar entered the pitch, but soon the Little Master became a victim of Akhtar as well. Tendulkar could not stop the right-arm-pacer’s incredible inswinger and his middle stump went flying. The Eden Gardens crowd watched in disbelief as Akhtar announced himself to the cricketing world with an iconic spell.
Akhtar finished the Test with an eight-wicket haul, a performance few, if any, seasoned bookies would have seen coming.
3 for 55 v New Zealand, World Cup semi-final, Manchester, 1999
Akhtar did give away more runs than he would have liked to in this spell against New Zealand in the 1999 World Cup semi-final in Manchester. But, he genuinely terrorised the Kiwi batters with his blistering pace. He was launching 90 mph deliveries at will and sent back three New Zealand batters to the pavilion.
Nathan Astle fell first, followed by Stephen Fleming, who had just driven to third man before Shoaib returned around the wicket with a 92mph yorker that shattered leg stump. Chris Harris fell to a cunning slower ball in Shoaib’s final overs. New Zealand could only collect 241 runs, which turned out to be an easy chase for the Shaheens.
6 for 11 v New Zealand, 1st Test, Lahore, 2002
Shoaib Akhtar came back to torment New Zealand again, and this time it was on his home turf. Cricket sportsbooks would have considered Pakistan favourites in home conditions, but it would have been difficult to predict New Zealand struggling this much. The Kiwis could barely get a foothold and Akhtar compounded their misery with a six-wicket haul.
Shoaib’s fiery pace and unplayable lengths saw all six of his wickets fall either bowled or lbw. In just 50 deliveries, he claimed 6 for 11, dismantling New Zealand for a mere 73 and paving the way for a huge victory.
5 for 21 v Australia, 1st Test, Colombo, 2002
During an era when Australia’s supremacy was rarely under threat, Shoaib Akhtar produced a spell in Colombo that left the mighty Aussies shell-shocked. Pakistan was in damage control mode when they were trailing by 188 runs in the first innings, but Akhtar brought his team back into the game with a magnificent spell. The pitch was more or less flat, but Akhtar made it feel quite treacherous.
Shoaib’s second spell turned the match on its head. From 71 for 1, Australia crumbled as he removed Ponting, the Waughs, and Gilchrist in a flurry. Australia could add only 53 more runs before losing their final nine wickets. Pakistan was in cruise control of the Test at that point, but Shoaib’s heroics went in vain as his team ultimately lost the match by 41 runs.
5 for 25 v Australia, 3rd ODI, Brisbane, 2002
Shoaib Akhtar played a starring role in another key victory for Pakistan, helping them clinch an ODI series in Australia. With a solid score to defend, he ran through the Australian order, leaving them struggling to stay in the contest.
Ricky Ponting succumbed to his raw pace, Darren Lehmann was bowled around his legs, and Michael Bevan edged one behind, while the lower order offered scant resistance. Akhtar followed his three wickets in three overs with a couple more down the order to finish with 5 for 25. Pakistan won the match by 91 runs.
6 for 30 v New Zealand, 2nd Test, Wellington, 2003
Shoaib continued his dominance over New Zealand with a punishing spell in Wellington, and it brought Pakistan another incredible win on foreign territory. The windy conditions added extra bite to his pace and swing, leaving New Zealand’s batsmen completely out of their depth.
Shoaib Akhtar had already claimed five wickets in the first innings, but Pakistan’s batsmen had squandered the advantage and gave away a 170-run lead to New Zealand. But Shoaib returned with even more destruction in the final innings of the Test and secured the win for Pakistan.
Team Sports Kida