Pakistan Squad for Australia

[Beny]

Apparently Aktar and Hayden are like fire and wood. In an article in Inside Cricket this month the other Aussies describe it as being above and beyond what is normal sledging, almost worrying to be out there for.

Pidgon=McGrath

Dizzy=Gillespie

[Maranello]

Really? Not sure if I have seen it like that out on the pitch though, have you guys (Beny, ZR) noticed that when you last saw Pak v Aus?

[Maranello]

Originally Posted by Beny

Pidgon=McGrath

Dizzy=Gillespie

aah...thank you Sir! Finally some good old-fashioned surnames for cricketers

[Beny]

I havent noticed it...

Hayden regards cricket as a war. He and the openning bowlers are ussualy at each others throat but of course Aktar known for the same thing.

[Zainub]

Let's see... last time we played Aus they were all over us, basically we got spanked but we had no Inzi, no Youhanna, no Saeed Anwer, and he hadn't retired than...Waqar Younus wasn't bowling well then too but he got some wickets as usual, Saqlain got a few wickets, he bowled well I thought then, just wasn't backed up well enough by the batters. Shoaib, well, he was sheer brilliant in the first test, and our batsmen should, really should have won that game for us, but I guess we lost it by about 44 runs in the end...the rest I don't want to recall, Hayden did get a big hundred I think, but we were awful, very poor, so please don't remind...PLEASE.

[Maranello]

True, and maybe ODIs, which these two sides have played recently, are not intense enough for the hostility to show.

I would say Akhtar is the first one to lose it among these two; I take your point that Hayden regards cricket as a war, but he is also a thorough professional, in there to win, and seems like a guy who can control himself. Akhtar, as far as I know, cannot... he is still one of the best bowlers in the world, so please don't all shout at me!

[Zainub]

That thing you say about Hayden being able to control him self, I know that's a throught professional, but there have been a few instances where he's been guilty to be honest. From first hand experience I know that he's a pretty shot tempered person. There was this TVS Cup match not so long ago, and there was some problem with the side screans, the stump mics were own, Hayden wasn't happy intially, but after he'd had to wait for just that wee bit longer he was swearing and goodness gracious saying things I wouldn't want to be hearing at all...thank God the volume of the stump mic wasn't too loud and the commentators were raving on as well so I guess it wasn't noticed that much...but boy, was he angry or what, he got me scared for a moment or two really...And then we have that infamous incident were he broke the window in a certain pavillion.

I wouldn't say he is unprofessional or anything, but just a shade short tempered.

[Maranello]

Agree about Hayden, maybe I am being too harsh on Shoaib.

I thought Lehmann had broken the window? Beny... help mate! Who was it?

[Maranello]

Ok, some snippets about Mr. Akhtar from a very old interview of his in the Pakistani press. Unfortunately, this is off my PC, I do not have a URL saved so the extracts and quotes will have to do.

Comparison with Imran Khan
Shoaib is often compared to Imran Khan for his winning attitude on and off the field. His performance on the field has helped Pakistan win a number of matches. Off the field too his record is quiet phenomenal. In his words, “I have thousands of girlfriends-although I suppose I should just call them friends. I think they are little more than fans. In the last few months I had to change my Telephone number 20 times because they (female fans) got hold of it. It’s absolute madness in Pakistan. If I go out all the women rush towards me in order to have a chat, they grab me and at times even tear off my clothes.” So it won’t be surprising to learn that the former (playboy) cricketer Imran Khan is Shoaib’s inspiration and mentor. Shoaib loves being compared to his idol.

Life before becoming a cricketer
Before becoming a cricketer Shoaib was a wild, irresponsible and reckless lad who always got into trouble, fighting in streets or running after girls. In his words, “ I didn’t have to work so I would just roam around on my Kawasaki 750 motorbike. I was totally carefree. I wasn’t a very nice guy, infact I was nasty and bad. I was always getting into fights-usually over women. I was a real street fighter. People didn’t like me at all.” Shoaib has a nine-inch scar across his chest and a lot more wounds down his legs. He further added, “I even carried a gun though for my own safety. I would never shoot anyone, but would fire in the air in order to scare the enemies. My mother was always worried about me. At times she slapped me and said, “I am not happy with you. You better be a good man.” And see her wish has come true. Now my mother is very proud of me and wishes me luck before every Match.”

[Zainub]

Lehman was the one who got banned for 5 matches for dissent against Sri Lanka, Hayden was just fined, and I remember clearly that it was he who broke the window.