Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar, who has the world’s fastest delivery to his name by clocking 161.3 km/h against England during the 2003 World Cup, was capable of scaring even the most accomplished batters.
While Akhtar breached the speed of 100 miles per hour mark on quite a few occasions during his international career, he pulled off the feat for the first time on April 27, 2002 against Australia in an ODI match.
On Wednesday (April 27), the official Twitter account of Cricket Australia celebrated Akhtar's historic feat with a post.
"On the day Shoaib Akhtar became the first bowler to break the 100mph barrier 20 years ago, we dug into the archives to find perhaps his most ferocious delivery on Australian shores!," Cricket Australia wrote while sharing the video on micro-blogging site.
Former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson was at the receiving end of Shoaib Akhtar’s brutal delivery in 2022.
Commenting on Cricket Australia’s tweet, Watson wrote: "What a way to spend my 21st birthday!!@shoaib100mph was so good and so bloody fast!!"
South African batting legend AB de Villiers also took note of Watson’s tweet and admitted that Akhtar still gives him nightmares.
"Oh man! I still get nightmares," De Villiers wrote.
To which, Shoaib Akhtar replied: “Come on AB, you've given sleepless nights to many bowlers yourself. Always a pleasure interacting with you.”
AB de Villiers further recalled how Shoaib almost broke his leg at Supersport Park in his early days.
“Haha. Good old days! U almost broke my leg at Supersport Park in my early twenties after I decided to pull u for 6. The minute it hit my bat I knew it was a big mistake,” he retorted.
However, Akhtar misunderstood De Villiers' compliment and ended up replying with a video in which he bowled the ex-Proteas batter.
“Not every pull went for a 6 though. Hahaha,” Shoaib said in his reply.
In a career spanning over 163 ODIs, Shoaib Akhtar claimed 247 wickets at an impressive average of 24.97. He was lethal with the red ball too as he picked up 178 wickets at 25.69 from 46 Tests, including 12 five-wicket hauls.
