Shoaib Akther's career.

Shoaib Akther was born on 13 Aug 1975 in Rawalpindi,(Panjab) is a former pakistani right arm fast bowler in cricket,Who is regarded as one of the fastest bowler in the world.He set an official world record by achieving the fastest delivery,When he clocked in at 161.3 km/h (100.2 mph)in his bowling speed, twice at a cricket match against England.His ability to bowl fast yorkers and quick bouncers have made him one of the best fast bowler in cricket.



However, he has been involved in several controversies during his career, often accused of not being a team player.Akther was sent home during the test match series in Australia in 2005 for alleged poor attitude.A year later, he was embroiled in a drug scandal after testing positive to a banned substance.However,the ban imposed on him was lifted on court appeal.

Full name	Shoaib Akhtar
Born	13 August 1975 (1975-08-13) (age 35) Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan
Nickname	Rawalpindi Express
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Batting style	Right hand bat
Bowling style	Right arm fast
Role	Bowler
International information
National side	Pakistan
Test debut (cap 150)	29 November 1997 v West Indies
Last Test	8 December 2007 v India
ODI debut (cap 123)	28 March 1998 v Zimbabwe
Last ODI	3 March 2011 v New Zealand
ODI shirt no.	14
Career statistics
Competition	Test	ODI	T20I
Matches	46	157	13
Runs scored	544	391	8
Batting average	10.07	9.10	2.66
100s/50s	0/0	0/0	0/0
Top score	47	43	4
Balls bowled	8,143	7,506	270
Wickets	178	247	15
Bowling average	25.69	24.50	23.46
5 wickets in innings	12	4	0
10 wickets in match	2	n/a	n/a
Best bowling	6/11	6/16	2/11
Catches/stumpings	12/–	20/–	2/–

EARLY YEARS:

AKTHER was born at morgah, a small town near Rawalpindi,punjab in pakistan.His father was a plant operator in ATTOK OIL REFINERY ,Morgah.Akther started his studies at Elliott High School, Morgah and then took admission in the Asghar Mall College,Rawalpindi.


INTERNATIONAL CAREER:

Akther's run of impressive performance started in the 1990s. In 1999, during a pre-World Cup series against India, he rose to prominence in Sharjah and later in 1999 Cricket World cup. His most significant performance was in india in 1999 when he captured eight wickets in the Asian test championship match at calcutta.

In 2001, he was selected for the Pakistan team against Australia and achieved success. However he performed poorly during the 2003 Cricket World Cup and after the tournament he was dropped from the Pakistan squad.

In 2005, Akther regained his reputation as a fast bowler for his side. Playing in a three Test home series against England, he made a series of impressive bowling performance . His effective use of slower deliveries proved to be unplayable by the English batsmen.


STRUGGLE FOR FORM AND CONSISTENT INJURIES (2007-2009):

On 29 OCT 2007, Akther made his return to cricket, from his 13 match ban and performed well, taking 4 wickets for 43 runs against South Africa in the fifth and deciding ODI series in lahore in Pakistan.


REHABILITATION AND FINAL YEARS
(2010-2011)

Akther made a return to international cricket albeit in the shorter format of the game. In May 2010, PCB named him in a list of 35 probables for the Asia Cup. On 15 June 2010, Akther made his return, taking 3 wickets for 28 runs in the first match of the Asia Cup against Srilanka.He narrowly missed out a spot in the 2010 ICC WORLD T20 in place of the injured Umar Gul.

Akhtar returned to the national side representing the country against England in the Twenty20 International. He bowled an impressive spell and returned with figures of 2 wickets for 23 runs. He continued to bowl well in the ODI series in the absence of regular fast-bowlers, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, who were suspended by the International Cricket Council amid allegations of Spot-fixing.

Cricket controversies and injuries

Akhtar's career has been plagued with injuries, controversies and accusations of poor attitude. After rising into international stardom at a young age due to his speed, he became more interested in glamour rather than cementing his sporting career. Although he eventually crossed the 100 mph barrier, his attitude took its toll on his reputation as well as his fitness. In 1996, he was dropped from the Pakistan squad for the Sahara Cup against India on grounds of indiscipline and poor attitude. His international debut is thus delayed by over a year & in 1997 England tour with Pakistan A and makes an impact on and off the field even then Shoaib is cited for indiscipline by the Pakistan manager in the end of tour report. Finally makes his international debut in November in the second Test against West Indies in Rawalpindi, February 26-March 2, 1998 taking two wickets. He ends the year by being called for the first time in his career in Australia by umpires Peter Willey and Darrell Hair and John Reid, the match referee, a pattern for highs followed inevitably and immediately by lows is set. By 2000 bowling action is cleared early in the year but a rib injury forces him to miss the start of the county season. A side strain then forces him out for the rest of the season and then a shoulder injury rules him out of England's visit to Pakistan in the winter. Knee and ankle injuries are also added to the catalogue before the year is out.

He returns in March 2001 for his first international outing in ten months, against New Zealand in Auckland. Five wickets suggests he is back but breaks down with a hamstring injury nine balls into the next game. .. and is called again by umpires Steve Dunne and Doug Cowie. A report from the University of Western Australia concludes his action is the result of "unique physical characteristics." Pakistani officials say the report `clears him'. Misses much of England summer tour due to injury and poor health and is called again in November in Sharjah. Again, he is 'cleared' by the University in December. Hit by a brick from the Dhaka crowd in January 2001, forcing him to miss the end of the tour. Recovers to destroy New Zealand twice at home, in the process bowling the first-ever 100 mph delivery. Takes 6 for 16 in an ODI in Karachi and follows it up with 6 for 11 in the Test at the same venue. October 3-7, 2002 Shoaib blitzes Australia with a match-turning spell in Colombo, which all but won them the match. In November 2002 he was banned for an ODI after throwing a bottle at the crowds in Zimbabwe. More ball-tampering allegations emerge in the first Test. A knee injury rules him out of the Test series against South Africa.

After a poor performance in the 2003 Cricket World Cup, he got involved in a verbal conflict with former Pakistan captain and fast bowler Waqar Younis. Later on Akhtar was sacked along with other players, including Younis. In a triangular series in 2003 held in Sri Lanka, he was caught tampering with the cricket ball, making him the second player in cricket to be banned on ball tampering charges. The same year he was banned for one Test match and two One Day International matches for abusing South African spin bowler Paul Adams, during a match against South Africa. Also misses Test in New Zealand with calf and groin injuries but is photographed one day before enjoying a jet-ski ride, much to his management's chagrin. Typically, returns for second Test, helps Pakistan win with a stupendous seven-wicket burst (11 in the match) and gets injured again in the ODI series.

In the 2004 home series with India, he struggled with wrist and back injuries, which raised questions about their commitment to the team. In the final Test, unable to bowl for the rest of the match, he comes out to bat later, freely smacking boundaries in a 14-ball 28. Inzamam ul Haq publicly questions the authenticity of the injury. Amid disquiet over his commitment and attitude, Shoaib is called before a medical inquiry which eventually finds his injury to be a genuine one. His relationship with the captain and the coach deteriorated further partially due to his manipulative nature and politics.

Returns to the squad where on the tour to Australia at the year's end his true Jekyll and Hyde nature comes out. He fights a lone battle against Australian batsmen in the first two Tests, but in the process is disciplined by match referees (for sending Matthew Hayden on his way) and injures his shoulder at Perth. He was sent back from the 2005 Australia tour with a hamstring injury amid rumors of indiscipline, lack of commitment and attitudinal complaints. He was subsequently fined by the Pakistan Cricket Board for avoiding a late night curfew.^[20]Hamstring keeps him out of the India tour and fitness problems preclude his inclusion for the tour to the Caribbean. On the bright side, he is offered a Bollywood role. Relationship with both Inzamam and Bob Woolmer erodes steadily as with Worcestershire chairman John Elliott for being a disruptive influence. Comes back for the series against England after proving his fitness in a training camp, finishes with 17 wickets, and silences any number of critics with a rehabilitated performance. Ankle injury surfaces in the last Test at Lahore.The rest of his cricketing career was riddled with ankle and knee injuries which forced him to undergo a surgery in February 2006, until finally he was banned for two years for using performance enhancing drugs.

Questions are raised about his action again, this time, by Greg Chappell after the Faisalabad Test against India in 2006. Ankle injury becomes a stress fracture and rules him out of the ODI series. While rumours fly about ICC concern over his action although no official action is taken or statement made. Injury forces him to miss the Sri Lanka tour and doctors discover soon after a degenerative knee condition which threatens to end his career. Is due to undergo surgery, the results of which will determine whether or not he can continue playing but speculation about whether it is his action or his injury which have forced him out intensifies. Takes his 200th ODI wicket in Cardiff.

In November 2006, an officer assigned to the Pakistan team in India, Anil Kaul, alleged that Akhtar had slapped former coach Bob Woolmer following a fight over the music to be played in the team bus on the eve of ICC Champions Trophy. Both Akhtar and Woolmer have strongly denied these allegations.

Drug scandal

On 16 October 2006 Akhtar was suspended by the Pakistan Cricket Board, along with Mohammed Asif after the pair were tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance nandrolone.^[22] They were consequently pulled out from the ICC Champions Trophy 2006.^[23] Former Pakistan Cricket Board chairman later stated that he had always suspected Akhtar of substance abuse due to his consistent "reservations" to drug tests.^[24] Former Pakistan captain Inzamam ul-Haq had also previously complained about Akhtar's drug abuse but was not reported to the Pakistan Cricket Board.^[25] Pakistan news reports state that federal capital police had arrested Shoaib along with drugs some three years ago. Shoaib was then reportedly seen participating in the smoking of marijuana at a night club, violating the curfew for the team in their Test series against England.^[25]

Akhtar immediately declared his innocence and he declined knowingly taking any performance enhancing drugs. In a statement issued to the press, he claimed that he could never cheat team-mates or opponents.^[26] During a hearing with the Pakistan Cricket Board Anti-Doping Committee, he along with Asif maintained taking non-steroidal dietary supplements.^[27] He, however, failed to convince the committee of his innocence. In its report submitted to the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Anti-Doping Committee recommended a two year ban.^[28]

On 1 November 2006 the Pakistan Cricket Board handed down a two-year suspension to Akhtar and a one-year suspension to Asif, banning them from professional cricket during the period.^[29] Shoaib had subsequently been added to Pakistan Olympic Association list of doping offenders.^[30] However, on 5 December 2006 represented by his lawyer Abid Hassan Minto, Akhtar was cleared on appeal.

International bowling records

[edit] Test cricket: Five-wickets in an innings

Test cricket: Five-wickets in an innings
Number	Figures	Match	Against	City/Country	Venue	Season
1	5/43	3	South Africa	Durban, S.A.	Kingsmead	1998
2	5/75	13	Sri Lanka	Peshawar, Pakistan	Arbab Niaz Stadium	1999
3	5/24	16	West Indies	Sharjah, UAE	Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium	2002
4	6/11	19	Australia	Colombo, Sri Lanka	PSS	2002
5	6/50	25	Bangladesh	Peshawar, Pakistan	Arbab Niaz Stadium	2003
6	5/48	27	New Zealand	Wellington, New Zealand	Basin Reserve	2003
7	6/30	27	New Zealand	Wellington, New Zealand	Basin Reserve	2003
8	5/60	30	Sri Lanka	Faisalabad, Pakistan	Iqbal Stadium	2004
9	5/99	31	Australia	Perth, Australia	WACA Ground	2004
10	5/109	32	Australia	Melbourne, Australia	MCG	2004
11	5/71	36	England	Lahore, Pakistan	Gaddafi Stadium	2005

[edit] Test cricket: Ten-wickets in a match

Test cricket: Ten-wickets in a match
Number	Match Figures	Match	Against	City/Country	Venue	Season
1	10/80	25	Bangladesh	Peshawar, Pakistan	Arbab Niaz Stadium	2003
2	11/78	27	New Zealand	Wellington, New Zealand	Basin Reserve	2003

[edit] One Day International: Five-wickets in an innings

One Day International: Five-wickets in an innings
Number	Match Figures	Match	Against	City/Country	Venue	Season
1	5/19	42	New Zealand	Karachi, Pakistan	National Stadium	2001
2	6/16	60	New Zealand	Wellington, New Zealand	Basin Reserve	2002
3	5/25	64	Australia	Brisbane, Australia	GABBA Ground	2002
4	5/54	127	England	Lahore, Pakistan	Gaddafi Stadium	2005

[edit] Career Best Performances

as of 8 November 2010

	Batting				Bowling
	Score	Fixture	Venue	Season	Score	Fixture	Venue	Season
Tests	47	Pakistan v India	Faisalabad	2006	6-11	Pakistan v New Zealand	Lahore	2002
ODI	43	Pakistan v England	Cape Town	2003	6-16	Pakistan v New Zealand	Karachi	2002
T20I	4	Pakistan v England	Cardiff	2010	2-11	Pakistan v Canada	Ontario	2008
FC	59*	KRL v PIA	Lahore (CCA)	2001	6-11	Pakistan v New Zealand	Lahore	2002
LA	56	KRL v Habib Bank	Lahore	2003	6-16	Pakistan v New Zealand	Karachi	2002
T20	14	Islamabad Leopards v Peshawar Panthers	Karachi	2006	5-23	Rawalpindi Rams v Quetta Bears	Lahore (CCA)	2005