Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar was one of the fastest bowlers in international cricket as he made most of the batsmen to play on the back foot and look out for the deadly bouncers. Very few players could face the Pakistani with confidence.
One among them was Indian legend, Sachin Tendulkar. Their fierce battle over the years is one of the legendary battles international cricket has ever seen.
“Sachin was the only polished batsman in Team India when I started,” says Shahid Afridi
One of the highlights of that battle is the six Tendulkar hit over point boundary in the 2003 World Cup. Akhtar likes to believe that Indian fans remember only that six and not that he had dismissed Tendulkar 12-13 times (actually 9 times including one IPL dismissal).
Akhtar said in an Instagram video, “I had a good time bowling to Sachin Tendulkar. He is one of the greatest batsmen of all-time. But I dismissed him 12-13 times as well. Although, Indians only remember that one six which he hit me in Centurion [during the 2003 ICC World Cup] as it makes them really happy.”
He then funnily stated that he would have let Tendulkar hit sixes off him every day if it would have made 1.3 billion people happy. “If I had known that one six makes 1.3 billion people happy, then I would have let him hit me for a six every day,” he added.
Here is the six:
The most famous six of a World Cup? #OnThisDay in 2003, chasing 273 v Pakistan, @sachin_rt smashed 98 off 75 balls with 12 fours, 1 six (off Shoaib Akhtar) at Centurion.
— Cricketopia (@CricketopiaCom) February 29, 2020
Is this the best World Cup innings by Tendulkar? Quote this tweet & let us know.pic.twitter.com/ks0Y5MKrfK
