Former Australian pacer Brett Lee talked about Pakistani speed sensation Shoaib Akhtar’s ferocious spell in the Colombo Test in 2002. He recalled one ball during that spell which made him feel that he had been taken out by a sniper.
Shoaib Akhtar is arguably one of the fastest pacers the sport has witnessed. The fast-bowler has always hogged the limelight for his off and on-field antics. Known as Rawalpindi Express, Akhtar broke numerous records, including being the first bowler to officially break the 100 mph speed barrier.
The right-arm pacer was mostly known for his aggressive personality and often sledged the opposition players. During a Test match against Australia in 2002 in Colombo, Akhtar was at his rampaging best as he had a verbal spat with many players from the opposition while scalping 8 wickets.
Even though Pakistan lost the match but the pacer was the standout performer for his side.
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Speaking in a podcast with Shoaib Akhtar, Brett Lee recalled the Test match between Pakistan and Australia in Colombo. He highlighted that Akhtar was bowling around 148 kmph for most of the day but after his speed decreased to 145 kmph, he was asked by his skipper for ‘one more big push’.
"Well, you know, I could tell you that Test we were talking about in Colombo and it was so hot, the conditions. Shoaib was bowling around about 148 kmph most of the day and he was steaming in. His speed dropped off to about 145 and then they asked him to come on for one more big spell. One more big push from the captain, was asked from Shoaib Akhtar,” Brett Lee said.
Lee said that the ball with which Akhtar knocked over Adam Gilchrist seemed about 180 kmph as it blew stumps away and the wicketkeeper batter couldn’t even get the bat down.
He said when he came to bat he was facing the hat-trick ball and Akhtar was reverse swinging the ball massively. He recalled he got hit on the face on the first ball and that one delivery by the pacer made him feel as if he "had been taken out by a sniper."
“He knocked over Gilly with a ball that seemed like it left the hand and blew his stumps away before Gilly could even get the bat down. It seemed like it was about 180 clicks an hour. Then I came out facing the hat-trick ball and this ball is swinging around corners, reversing massively.
“I got hit on the face on the first ball. Shoaib steams in, he is running in, the black hair's flowing everywhere. Let's go. This ball hits me on the hip. On the fall, I thought I had been taken out by a sniper. I thought I had been shot. He runs down like sorry sorry sorry,” he said.
While talking about the spell, Shoaib Akhtar said that he bowled his heart out. He added that bowling to Steve Waugh during that match felt like he was bowling to a wall.
“I think I bowled my heart out and I got in fights with many other Australian players during the game. You must understand one thing that you know I am up against one of the toughest batsmen on the planet earth.
“I mean Steve Waugh is just a wall. He is just a character; he's not going to give it up. I mean no, I wish one day that Brett Lee bowled against his own teammate then he would understand what we had to go through", Shoaib Akhtar said.
Shoaib Akhtar represented Pakistan in 46 Tests, 163 ODIs, and 15 T20Is. He took 178 wickets in the longest format of the game and bagged 247 wickets in 50-over format to go with 19 T20I wickets.
