As the stage is set for India and Pakistan to collide once again, this time in the Asia Cup 2022, former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar took everyone on a trip down memory lane ahead of the blockbuster clash on Sunday. Akhtar has been part of some of the fiercest India vs Pakistan cricketing contests over the years but one that stands out for him the most will be the Kolkata Test in 1999. The Test match, which was part of the Asian Test Championship saw Akhtar produce arguably two of the most memorable deliveries of his career.
Akhtar grabbed 4/71 in the first innings at the Eden Gardens, including the wickets of Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar off successive deliveries, and remembering it as his favourite moment of the India vs Pakistan rivalry, Akhtar revealed the story behind the two most fearsome yorkers he ever bowled in his career.
"Dravid was a complete player. For him, defence was his plan of attacking. He would come on the front foot and leave the ball. When the ball started reverse-swinging, Wasim bhai asked me to try and bowl a surprising ball that goes through his legs. I said for that, I will have to extract extra pace, to which he agreed. Dravid, with that same mindset, came forward to defend the ball but by then the ball had started reversing enough and we were able to beat him," Star Sports uploaded a video of Akhtar as saying on their show 'Frenemies' ahead of Asia Cup 2022.
Akhtar then narrated how he planned the great Tendulkar's dismissal first ball. The former Pakistan pacer recalled receiving multiple instructions from his teammates, including Salim Malik, Azhar Mahmood and captain Wasim Akram. Akhtar has stated many times that while playing the Kolkata Test, he was not aware of the greatness of Tendulkar although he had heard of him. It possibly the first time that Akhtar and Tendulkar had come face to face and it was the Pakistan speedster who took the opening round.
{{/usCountry}}Akhtar then narrated how he planned the great Tendulkar's dismissal first ball. The former Pakistan pacer recalled receiving multiple instructions from his teammates, including Salim Malik, Azhar Mahmood and captain Wasim Akram. Akhtar has stated many times that while playing the Kolkata Test, he was not aware of the greatness of Tendulkar although he had heard of him. It possibly the first time that Akhtar and Tendulkar had come face to face and it was the Pakistan speedster who took the opening round.
{{/usCountry}}"When Sachin walked out to bat, make sure this delivery ends up on the wickets. Then, Salim Malik asked me to bowl wide outside off. Azhar Mahmood then comes and tells me to bowl at the fourth stump given how much the ball was swinging. When I turned to my run-up, I could hear Wasim bhai shouting 'bowl from a lot wider, possibly from two stumps outside off so that it ends of middle-stump. Agar tune ye nahi out kara, ye agle 5 session humko peetega (If you don't get him out, he will smash us for the next five sessions)," added Akhtar.
"When I bowled and lifted my arm, Sachin had already lifted his bat. At that moment, I knew he is trapped. I saw the ball reaching him when I saw that Sachin was going for the drive, I was sure it was not going to come on his bat. Later, when I went back to Lahore, people lifted me on their shoulders in celebration of that wicket".