AB de Villiers, the former South African captain was recently in the news after a shocking revelation made by ESPNCricinfo.com. The cricket website revealed that De Villiers had offered to return to international cricket for South Africa on the eve of the announcement of the Proteas team, but his offer was rejected by the selection committee.

The team management and selector in chief Linda Zondi mentioned that it was far too late and also that it would have done injustice to the younger players who have done all the hard work to represent South Africa on the world stage. This made more noise than it should have, as South Africa have lost three out of their four games in the tournament, with one rained off.

Many former cricketers presented their views on this matter and the offer by AB de Villiers, and Shoaib Akhtar was one of them. The former Pakistani speedster lambasted the former Proteas player in a video, where he was seen saying that, “The money will come today or tomorrow but you the call of making money and ignore the World Cup. I don’t mind people making money but do it in the right way. If you indeed have to make money then pick and chose correctly but keep your country as the priority. Now to clear your name you made a last-ditch offer to come out of international retirement for this summer’s World Cup. But I think the management was correct in their stand.”

However, a video has emerged where Akhtar is seen praising De Villiers on a news show. Backing De Villiers, he said in the presence of other panelists including former Proteas all-rounder Lance Klusener, “Come on, he served at his best efforts. He deserves a chance to make a good comeback and a good exit. What if he needed money? He was broken after the 2015 World Cup. Why doesn’t he deserve a chance? What he has done for South Africa? Do you forget all of that all of a sudden?”

This U-turn of Akhtar was even faster than his 100 mph thunderbolts and here is the video in which he sings praises of former Proteas batsman.

Check it out: