‘Want to be like Shoaib Akhtar’- World-cup bound Pakistan’s U19 bowler makes ambitions clear

In a video uploaded on Pakistan Cricket Board official Youtube account, Javed said that he wants to emulate Pakistan legend Shoaib Akhtar.

The upcoming edition of U19 cricket World Cup is set to begin next week, and several youngsters will be hoping to make a mark to break into the senior team. One such player from Pakistan is fast bowler Akif Javed. The 19-year-old, who is included in Pakistan’s U19 squad, has huge ambitions for himself when the tournament begins in South Africa. In a video uploaded on Pakistan Cricket Board official Youtube account, Javed said that he wants to emulate Pakistan legend Shoaib Akhtar.

File photo of Arif Javed. (Twitter/Saj Sadiq)

“I want to become the fastest bowler like Shoaib Akhtar. My fastest delivery is 145 but my aim is to bowl the fastest bowl in the history of cricket,” he was quoted as saying arysports.tv. The fastest delivery recorded in international cricket is Akhtar’s 161.3kph screamer, which he bowled in an ODI match against England in 2003 at Newlands.

Speaking about his struggles, the bowler said: “Since childhood, I love playing cricket and used to play tape ball in my village. I worked with my father in a shop and at the same time had to focus on my cricket too but while working most of the time I couldn’t concentrate on my work and the only thing in my mind was cricket.”

Javed recently grabbed the spotlight when he dismissed Pakistan veteran Mohammad Hafeez in the recently concluded National T20 Cup in Faislabad. The left-armer revealed that he tries to copy Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir and called him his favourite bowler.

“My favourite bowler is Mohammad Amir and I also try to copy him and focus on the swing just like him. When I gave the trials, I bowled around 146 kph then I came to NCA and coaches have worked hard with me,” he said.

Pakistan will begin their campaign against Scotland next week on Sunday.