Pakistan’s former star pace bowler Shoaib Akhtar feels that the top governing body of cricket International Cricket Council (ICC) has finished the game of cricket. The player, known as Rawalpindi Express for his pace, said ICC should consider changing some bowling rules to make cricket competitive.
Shoaib Akhtar was speaking to Sanjay Manjrekar in a videocast hosted by ESPNcricinfo. During the discussion, he centrally focused on the ‘Bouncer rule’ for the pacers and said he has been urging for past ten years to the apex body for the rule relaxation.
Battles like Sachin versus Shoaib will get you followers
Speaking in the show he expressed his agony over ICC’s stoicism towards bowlers and said it (ICC) should immediately consider Akhtar’s request which he has been urging for past ten years.
“I have been saying this for the past ten years that they should relax the bouncer rule for the fast bowlers,” ANI quoted the star pacer as saying in the videocast.
He also added that these rules are necessary to be relaxed as it will bring balance in the contest between bat and ball; competitiveness will be vanished and cricket followers will lose their interest in the game, otherwise.
“As long as you don’t have the kind of battles like Sachin versus Shoaib where will you get your following from?” asked Shoaib Akhtar in the show.
I wish Virat played against top bowlers of his era
Speaking further on the show, he wished that the modern day great Virat Kohli could have played some of the top fast bowlers of the game.
“I really wish that he (Kohli) had played against Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shane Warne, and then Virat would have also enjoyed the challenge,” he added.
Notably, Shoaib Akhtar recently told that he could anyday get the wicket of Steve Smith in just four balls, who is also considered as one of the modern day greats.
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