Fastest bowler in cricket history, Shoaib Akhtar, has opened up about his heated battle with Australia's Matthew Hayden during Pakistan's tour to Australia in 2004. He was engaged in a verbal clash with Hayden and Justin Langer on the tour.
Speaking about the incident in an exclusive chat with Sportskeeda, the former Pakistan pacer said their face-off started escalating after an argument at the breakfast. Akhtar had told Hayden that he won't leave him when they clash on the field.
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"I pulled my hamstring in the 2004 series against Australia and I wasn't running well. I had a heated argument with (Matthew) Hayden at breakfast and I said to him - 'I won't leave you.' I took his wicket in both innings of the test match after which he struggled with his Test form," he said.
Langer had angered Akhtar after hurting Shahid Afridi with his cover drive and then having a go at the speedster. The Pakistan fast bowler was not at his best due to the hamstring injury but he did hit Langer on his hand.
"Justin Langer played a very forceful drive that hurt Afridi on his hand and he (Langer) also said something to me, which made me very angry and I said to Langer - 'I will make sure that I'm gonna hurt you.' I did hit him on the hand. In the whole match, neither he got out, nor I gave up. While I was struggling with the painful hamstring injury, I still put up the fight and bowled as fast as I could."
Adam Gilchrist, the former Australia wicket-keeper batsman, had warned Langer to not engage in sledging with Akhtar as it brings the best out of him. "Gilchrist suggested Langer not to pick a fight with me or else Akhtar will wake up," he said.
Akhtar also revealed why Gilchrist didn't have similar heated exchanges with him. "Later, I confronted Gilly to find out why he always overlooked me. Gilly told 'Are you mad, who's gonna mess up with you. It's better to see you off and hit other bowlers'," Akhtar concluded.
(With Sportskeeda Inputs)
