Indian tailenders would tell me ‘don’t hit us, we have families’: Pakistan’s Shoaib Akhtar

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar named Indian tailenders and Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan when asked if there were any batsmen who told him to get them out but not hit them. Akhtar said Indian tailenders would tell him not to hit them as they have families.

Shoaib Akhtar was undoubtedly one of the fastest bowlers to have ever played international cricket. His raw pace and accuracy meant batsmen found it difficult to face him. But those who found it more difficult were the tailenders, according to the paceman himself.

Shoaib Akhtar of Pakistan appeals successfully for LBW against Zaheer Khan (R) of India during the second ODI between Pakistan and India played at Pindi Cricket Stadium, March 16, 2004 in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. (Getty Images)

Recently during a conversation with Pakistani presenter Sawera Pasha on her Youtube show ‘Cric Cast’, Akhtar was asked to name batsmen whom he had either hit with his deliveries.

Akhtar went on to talk about the incident when his bouncer hit the former South Africa opener Gary Kirsten on his left eye.

“I had told Gary not to attempt the pull against me. I kept telling him don’t try it against the world’s fastest bowler. But he didn’t listen and was hit really hard. Whenever he meets me he points towards his eye,” he said.

“There were many who told me not to hit them. Muralitharan was one. Many Indian tailenders would tell me ‘don’t hit us, we have families’. Muralitharan would ask me to bowl slow, and he would get out.

“Yousuf would ask me to hit him. He would say ‘break his fingers I can’t play his spin’. I bowled Muralitharan a few bouncers but he said ‘don’t do this to me I will die if the ball hits me’, the former paceman said with a smile on his face.