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'I used to pull truck at night for 4-5 miles': Shoaib Akhtar reveals story behind record 161.3 kph delivery in 2003 WC
It was on February 22, 2003 when Akhtar recorded the fastest ever delivery in world cricket, clocking 100.23 mph, during a match against England, and opener Nick Knight was the batter to face that delivery.
Umran Malik and his ability to bowl consistently at 155 kph along with his wicket-taking abilities has been one of the biggest talking points in the ongoing 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL). His breakneck pace has even drawn comparisons with Pakistan cricket legend Shoaib Akhtar, who was the first cricketer ever to break the 100 mph barrier in international cricket before he recorded the fastest ever delivery during the 2003 World Cup. And the legendary pacer, earlier this week, revealed the story behind the record 161.3 kph delivery.
It was on February 22, 2003 when Akhtar recorded the fastest ever delivery in world cricket, clocking 100.23 mph, during a match against England, and opener Nick Knight was the batter to face that delivery.
Speaking to Sportskeeda, Akhtar recalled how he had geared up to break the 100 mph barrier. "When you touch 155 kph as a bowler, remember that you have another 5 kph inside you. However, adding that extra pace to your bowling requires specific training. Before I broke the 100 miles record, I was bowling at speeds of 157-158 kph but I was not able to reach 160. I was a bit baffled over the same, wondering why it was not happening," he said.
The former Pakistan cricketer further revealed the details of his specific training which included pulling vehicles and trucks at night before shifting to practicing in 26 yards of pitch and bowling with old and worn out balls.
"I began by running with tires but soon realized that they are light. Next, I started pulling small vehicles with my shoulders. There is less public in Islamabad, so I used to pull vehicles in the night. I used to match its speed with the pace of my run-up. I realized that the vehicle is also small, so I started pulling a truck. I used to pull a truck for 4-5 miles.
"When I bowled on 26-yard strips, my speed came down to 142-143 kph. But my aim remained to touch 150 kph on 26-yard surfaces. My muscles were in great shape back then and I started bowling with old, worn-out balls. I was aiming to hit the wickets with those old balls.
"I gradually moved back to bowling with comparatively newer balls. I was playing with the mechanics of the body. This procedure went on for two months and I started hitting 150 kph.”
Akhtar revealed that by the time the 2003 World Cup had arrived, he was so confident that he could break the record that he even told his teammates about it, who were in fact scared after facing him at the nets.
"When I bowled in the nets during the 2003 World Cup, batters were telling me - 'you'll kill us, you are bowling so quick. What have you done to increase your speed so much?' I told them that I have trained very hard because I want to break the 100-miles barrier.
"I told my teammates Saqlain (Mushtaq) and Azhar (Mahmood) that I will break the record in the World Cup," he said.
Akhtar did not want to stop their, but his body could only permit to a limit.
"After I touched 161.3 kph, I thought I could bowl even quicker. But then I started getting cracks in my body - in my back, in my hamstring. I thought I would break down and get ruled out of the World Cup, so I left it at that."
