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Cricket Players'Told him it was fluke. But he bowled Laxman with similar ball again': Akhtar names bowler 'who made him look ordinary'
The bowler's seven-fer in the Karachi Test against India helped Pakistan beat India by 341 runs in the third and final Test of the 2006 series and clinch the trophy 1-0.
India and Pakistan may not have played a bilateral series for over a decade, but the players still have fond memories of their scintillating battles of the past. Former Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Akhtar, last week, recalled the nail-biting 2006 Test series where the hosts had defeated India 1-0 in a three-match contest. Talking about the Test series, Akhtar recalled the Pakistan bowler who made him look “ordinary” during the series.
Akhtar was full of praise for veteran pacer Mohammed Asif, who had picked four wickets in the first innings and three more in the second innings, as a “magician”. He was in particular praise for the manner in which he dismissed Indian batter VVS Laxman in both the innings.
“The way Asif trapped the Indian team...I have never seen a magician like him. He made me look like a very ordinary fast bowler. I remember him bowling in the 2006 Test match against India. He bowled an inswinger to Laxman and he was bowled out. I told him, 'What a fluke! It does happen once or twice'. He replied saying, 'I will dismiss him in the exact same manner in the next innings'. It did not swing that much in that delivery, but it was exactly the same, it seamed as well and Laxman was gone,” he said.
Akhtar further compared Asif's calibre to that of legendary Pakistan pacer Wasim Akram.
“While I was trying to hurt Sachin, Indian batting was facing the music in the name of Asif. I have seen such bowling performances only once or twice. The only other bowler who had the same caliber was Wasim Akram,” he said.
Asif's seven-fer in the Karachi Test against India helped Pakistan beat India by 341 runs in the third and final Test of the 2006 series and clinch the trophy 1-0. The previous two Tests were drawn.
