2003 World Cup game against India was the most disappointing match of my career, says Shoaib Akhtar
Shoaib Akhtar revealed that the 2003 World Cup encounter against arch rivals India at the Centurion was the worst match of his international career. Pakistan failed to defend a competitive total of 274 against their foes despite boasting an extremely strong bowling attack which included Akhtar.
An India-Pakistan cricket match is always a hotly contested affair and the 2003 World Cup encounter between both sides was nothing short of the same. Banking on the back of a Saeed Anwar century, Pakistan posted a competitive total of 273/7 after 50 overs. Despite the early loss of Virender Sehwag, India managed to win the match thanks to Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and a late half-century from Yuvraj Singh.
Recalling that match from 16 years ago, Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar revealed that the outcome of that game was the worst he had suffered in his international career.
"The most disappointing match for me in my entire career was the 2003 World Cup match against India at Centurion. We had failed to defend a target of 274 despite having a very good bowling line-up," Akhtar said in a video he posted on YouTube.
Akhtar, who earned the nickname The 'Rawalpindi Express', also made it public that the night before the match against Sourav Ganguly & Co. he was forced to take 4-5 injections on his left knee which made it numb.
"Because of the injections water had filled up in my left knee and there was no sensation in it. After the end of our innings, I told my teammates that we have probably scored 30-40 runs less. However, all the players in the team shouted at me saying if '273 is not enough then what is'. They said we will be able to get India all out. However, I knew that the pitch was a good one for batting and it will remain so in the second innings as well.
"When we started the bowling, I noticed that my left knee had gone numb. Because of which, I wasn't able to run properly through my bowling run-up. As a result I was not able to bowl properly. Indian openers, Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag, went for the charge from the word go. In fact, Sachin played me very well and even hit me for a six over point. I had no clue how to bowl and get the breakthrough. Unfortunately, the captain (Waqar Younis) got me out of the attack. He brought me later in the innings where I just bowled fast and short. I got Sachin out at 98 off a short-pitched delivery. I told the captain that I should have persisted with such bowling from the very beginning. In the end we lost the match," Akhtar added.