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Shoaib Akhtar made a profession out of terrorising batsmen throughout the world, nevertheless it seems that even earlier than he made his debut for the nation, the Rawalpindi Express left an influence on the South African cricket team throughout their tour of Pakistan in the early 90s.
The 1994/95 Wills Triangular Series was performed between South Africa, Pakistan and Australia and forward of one in all the video games, Akhtar recalled how he as an 18-year-old served as one in all the internet bowlers for the Proteas and instantly left an impression on their gamers.
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“I became a net bowler for the South Africans. So, the South Africans came up to me, I remember very clearly, there is one gentleman called Gary Kirsten, and Jonty Rhodes,” Akhtar stated on the Test Match Special podcast. “They said, ‘Would you like to be a good net fast bowler against us?’ I said, ‘Yes sir, I can do that for you [and] very soon, you’ll remember me, that I’ll be playing against you guys.’ They said, ‘So, how’s that?’ And I just asked them to face me.”
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It would take one other three years for Akhtar to make his Pakistan debut, however that one session of tempo bowling in the nets satisfied Kirsten what he was manufactured from. The former South Africa opening batsman was so impressed with Akhtar that he instructed the pacer he’d speak to the Pakistan administration to incorporate him in the team.
“I then bowled a couple of balls at Gary Kirsten and he said, ‘Oh my lord, you should have been in the team rather than in the nets.’ I asked if I’m capable enough to be a great fast bowler,” Akhtar added. “He said, ‘You must be kidding me. I am going to vouch for you in the Pakistan dressing room that you should play.’ And Pakistan, what they did is play me four years later. So, I lost my peak there.”
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