Shoaib Akhtar urges to read his book, not pick a few lines

September 27, 2011 | Filed under: Sports | Posted by: Calcutta Tube Team

Mumbai, Sept 26 (Calcutta Tube / IBNS): Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, who created a new controversy in the world of cricket by commenting in his autobiography that Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid were not match winners, said in an interview that he never mentioned that Sachin was scared.

“You have to feel what I particularly felt on that day that what I have written.You have to read the book rather than picking up few lines and say something,” Akhtar said in an interview to NDTV news channel.

He said that he is not going to pinpoint on any great cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar or Rahul Dravid or create any kind of controversy to sell his book, titled aptly ’Controversially Yours’.

In his book Shoaib said, “I bowled (Sachin) a particularly fast ball which he, to my amazement, didn’t even touch. He walked away! That was the first time I saw him walk away from me-that, too, on the slow track at Faisalabad.”

“I think players like Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid weren’t exactly match winners to start with, nor did they know the art of finishing the game,” Shoaib said.

Akhtar also mentioned in his interview that he never said that owner of Indian Premiere League franchisee Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) side, Shah Rukh Khan, had cheated him.

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Incidentally, it is reported that in his autobiography, Akhtar has also alleged that he was cheated by Knight Riders owner Shah Rukh Khan and former IPL Chairman Lalit Modi.

“Shahrukh and I talked about my not being happy with the money settled on me. Shahrukh and Modi got me to agree. I should have never listened to Modi and Shahrukh.”

The Pakistani fast bowler was a part of the KKR team in the first edition of the league.

Akhtar, who retired from cricket following the 2011 World Cup, has also shockingly revealed that he tampered with the ball claiming, “everyone tampers with the ball. I did so too. Tampering should be legalised.”

He said that severe class discrimination was marring Pakistani cricket.

In the book he also talks about the arrogance of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), his humiliation and his failures – including ball-tampering and even attacking teammates with a bat.

Shoaib also claimed that legendary Pakistani pacer Wasim Akram attempted to finish his career.

“Wasim Akram threatened to walk out with half the team if I was included in the team. General Tauqir Zia backed Shoaib against Wasim,” he said.