Shoaib looked at me and said 'I'm going to kill you…': Australia legend on facing Akhtar; says 'I was petrified'

Shoaib Akhtar was one of the fiercest fast bowlers of all time and facing him was not for those weak of heart.

Shoaib Akhtar terrorised batters accross the world at his peak, helping Pakistan to wins regardless of the format through his sheer pace. He had famously bowled the fastest recorded delivery in international cricket during the 2003 World Cup. A number of batting greats have described just how difficult to face the ferocious fast bowler but then it may have been a different matter altogether to face him as a tail-ender.

Shoaib Akhtar holds the record for the fastest recorded delivery in international cricket (ICC)

Australia pace great Brett Lee, widely considered as rival to Shoaib throughout both of their careers due to his propensity to bowl thunderbolts, recently described what that was like in a touching tribute to the Pakistani former fast bowler on his Youtube channel.

Lee first revealed that he had first heard of Shoaib while watching a match in a pub. "I am watching and thinking who the hell is this guy steaming in. Black hair flowing, you could see the aggression he had this big chest, legs pumping like pistons. Bowing absolute rockets. I saw the name - Shoaib Akhtar. That name has stuck with me ever since," said Lee.

Lee said that he eventually became friends with Shoaib because of the pair's shared love for bowling fast. "We became friends way back in the late 1990's. Australia vs Pakistan was always a great rivalry and he was trying to bowl the fastest ball in history and I was trying to do the same. We became mates because we shared the same love, and that is bowling as quickly as possible," he said.

Lee said that the pair would often be looking at the speed gun as much as other factors in a bid to outdo each other. "Over the years this competition started between myself and Shoaib Akhtar," he said.

However, he recited a tale when Lee had to actually face Shoaib with the bat in hand. "I think back to a game in early 2000. Australia vs Pakistan in a venue called Telstra Dome (now called the Docklands Stadium). This had a roof over the top, the wicket was smooth and a little greasy. Shoaib Akhtar had been bowling lightening. I have gone out there to face and I am absolutely petrified. I am thinking, we are mates, I am hoping he will look after me. I am trying to look around to see how am I going to score runs when I hear, 'Binga! Binga!' I am looking around thinking who is calling my nickname and I see Shoaib, about 45m away going, 'I am going to kill you!'

I am thinking, we are mates, surely he is not going to try and kill me. Here he comes, steaming in, head down again, I look up, he is still running in. Head down again, look up, he is still running in. Bowls the ball, yorker, the perfect inswinging yorker, hits me on the bridge of the foot. I am absolutely plumb. I am so plumb even I appeal. You know what the umpire said? Not out. I am thinking, this umpire could cost me my life. Because Shoaib is going to go back and bowl me a bouncer now," said Lee.

Lee said that Shoaib was great for world cricket. “He is the show pony but you know what deep down he is a terrific guy. Good mate of mine. When he is on, nothing better to see than a fast bowler bowl over that 160kph mark,” said Lee.