On This Day: Shoaib Akhtar picked career-best ODI bowling figures vs New Zealand in Karachi

Shoaib Akhtar picked career-best ODI bowling figures: The former Pakistani fast bowler had wrecked havoc at the National Stadium 18 years ago.

On this day in 2002, former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar had registered his career-best ODI bowling figures against New Zealand during the first ODI of New Zealand’s tour of Pakistan at the National Stadium in Karachi.

After the then Pakistan captain Waqar Younis won the toss and chose to bat, Pakistan had scored a competitive 275/6 in their allotted quota of 50 overs on the back of a 161-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Mohammad Yousuf (125) and Younis Khan (69).

Introduced into the attack in the 14th over, Akhtar made instant impact by sending back opposition captain Craig McMillan (8) after the latter terribly pulled a nasty short delivery aimed at his body.

Coming in to bat at No. 6, New Zealand all-rounder Jacob Oram (0) lasted only three deliveries against Akhtar as he looked clueless against a quick yorker from the then 26-year old player.

Continuing his streak of picking wickets, Akhtar bowled another brutal short delivery which lobbed off New Zealand wicket-keeper batsman Robbie Hart’s (0) gloves only to land in his counterpart Rashid Latif’s hands.

With New Zealand losing seven wickets for less than 100 runs, it was only a matter of time before others succumbed to Akhtar’s sheer pace and accuracy. On the fourth delivery of the 22nd over, Akhtar not only bowled Andre Adams (2) but also broke the stumps to portray his stamp of authority.

Shoaib Akhtar picked career-best ODI bowling figures

Bowling his seventh over on the trot, Akhtar’s in-swinging delivery proved too much for Brooke Walker (8) as the former picked his second ODI five-wicket haul. On the last delivery of the 30th over (his ninth in a row), Akhtar uprooted Ian Butler’s (0) off-stump to pick his career-best bowling figures of 9-1-16-6.

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About the author

Dixit Bhargav

Born and brought up in Pathankot, Dixit Bhargav is an engineering and sports management graduate who works as a Cricket Editor at The SportsRush. Having written more than 10,000 articles across more than five years at TSR, his first cricketing memory dates back to 2002 when former India captain Sourav Ganguly had waved his jersey at the historic Lord’s balcony. What followed for an 8-year-old was an instant adulation for both Ganguly and the sport. The optimist in him is waiting for the day when Punjab Kings will win their maiden Indian Premier League title. When not watching cricket, he is mostly found in a cinema hall watching a Punjabi movie.

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