Born in Rawalpindi, Punjab, former Pakistani pacer Shoaib Akhtar was nicknamed the ‘Rawalpindi Express’ for being one of Cricket’s fastest bowlers its followers had ever witnessed. In fact, he was first international bowler to have been recorded bowling with a speed of over 100 miles an hour.
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Even post his retirement, he is quite a popular figure across various social media platforms for his analysis of matches, particularly those involving India and Pakistan. His YouTube videos manage to garner millions of views, and is one of the very few Pakistani cricketers whose reading of the game and thereby comments are loved by the followers of the sport in India.
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Having been part of various controversies and scandals during the course of his international career, there is also once hilarious incident from the time he was about to play his maiden World Cup match in the year 1999.
Shoaib Akhtar had once stolen Mohammad Yousuf’s pair of socks
Pakistan were to play against the West Indies in their first match of the 1999 World Cup in Bristol. Having managed to post 229/8 on the scoreboard, an impressive bowling performance was imperative from their bowlers to defend the total.
An excited Shoaib Akhtar, set to bowl for the first time in a World Cup match was all set to terrify the batters with his pacey deliveries, but there was a problem. He had forgotten to bring his socks along with him!
Realizing there’s no point crying over spoilt milk, he secretly went back towards the changing room, and much to his delight found a pair of socks in Mohammad Yousuf’s bag. Without wasting much time, he decided to steal his socks and wear them without anyone noticing.
Wondering where on earth did his socks go, Yousuf started checking everyone’s feet, and when it was Akhtar’s turn to get frisked the ‘Rawalpindi Express’ scampered through to mark his run-up.
“I was all pumped up ahead of the game but then suddenly I realized that I had forgotten my socks. I secretly went back to the dressing room and wore the socks that I found in Mohammad Yousuf’s bag. Later, Yousuf came in and was wondering where his socks had disappeared. As the match was about to begin, Yousuf started checking everyone’s socks. When he came towards me, I ran towards my run-up,” Akhtar hilariously remarked during an interview the previous year.
Akhtar later revealed that after finally being caught, he requested Yousuf to adjust considering the magnitude of the occasion. He went on to further add that while he was already wearing someone else’s spikes, the socks weren’t his as well!
