Akhtar delivers an even quicker one

The Pakistan Cricket Board said that retired fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar kept the board in dark about his upcoming autobiography to be launched next month.

The Pakistan Cricket Board said that retired fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar kept the board in dark about his upcoming autobiography to be launched next month.

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Akhtar's autobiography will offer revealing insights into the game, its intricacies and highs and lows from inside the dressing room, according to details released at a press conference arranged by the publishers in New Delhi on Saturday.

The book, unveiled by HarperCollins India on the pacer's birthday on Saturday, will hit the markets next month. “No we had no idea that he was going to launch his autobiography but since he is a retired player now he is not answerable to us for anything,” a PCB official said.

But the official was clearly taken by surprise to learn about Akhtar's upcoming book and said the fast bowler at no stage had indicated to the board about his plans. Akhtar was a contracted player in the top category with the PCB until he retired during this year’s World Cup.

Since his retirement, he has kept himself out of the limelight. “It now seems he was well aware of what he was doing because obviously his autobiography has not been written overnight or in a few months time it must have been planned well in advance. So he knew his priorities when he decided to retire in the World Cup,” a former Test captain said.

Akhtar is co-authoring the book with Anshu Dogra, a journalist and writer.