Akhtar to retire after WC 2011

[Devil Soul]

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Akhtar to retire after WC 2011
TV reports are quoting Intikhab Alam as saying that Shoaib Akhtar will announce his retirement today in a press conference

[fida jan]

a sad end to this talented guy, he ruined his carreer with useless stuff he involved himself in

btw what a great time to win us world cup and earn eternal glory

all his previous sins will be forgiven forever

[Ammyy]

Akhtar to retire after WC 2011
TV reports are quoting Intikhab Alam as saying that Shoaib Akhtar will announce his retirement today in a press conference

I am a big fan of Shoiab Akhtar this is really sad news for me

[twoplustwoisfour]

Thanx Shoaib for all those awesome moments

[JonAsad]

He was an excellent fast bowler with natural abilities to take wickets- Wish him good luck-

[GUNS-N- ROSES]

he will always be called the perenial under achiever. if only he could have some discipline like dale styne he would have been in same league as waqar younis and wasim akram.

[Karachiite]

A great bowler that gave us some fantastic moments. There really wont be another player like Rawalpindi Express for some time.

[Roybot]

This guy ruined his career by becoming a gym junkie. His yorkers will be missed in cricket.

[Devil Soul]

Shoaib Akhtar to retire after World Cup
Osman Samiuddin
March 17, 2011
Shoaib Akhtar will retire from the international game at the end of Pakistan's World Cup, bringing to an end one of cricket's most compelling and mercurial careers. He told his Pakistan team-mates of the decision at the Premadasa Stadium on Thursday morning, during an emotional gathering in which he delivered a farewell speech and was embraced by fellow players and support staff.

Privately, over the last few months, Shoaib had been looking at the World Cup as a final hurrah for a body increasingly unable to cope with the rigours of the international game. The tournament itself has been a mixed one for him: he was outstanding through ten overs in Pakistan's win over Sri Lanka. But after an impressive opening spell against New Zealand he was taken for 28 runs in his final over, bowling a succession of waist high full tosses at Ross Taylor as New Zealand changed the game.

He was dropped for the subsequent Zimbabwe game - having earlier been rested in the game against Canada - and it was as much for his performance as continuing concerns over his ability to be at optimum operation in his second and third spells.

Shoaib made his first international appearance in December 1997, against West Indies. He shot to fame in 1999, when he bowled Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar in 1999 in the Asian Test Championship game against India, and continued that form into the World Cup where he was one of Pakistan's most effective bowlers.

But since then, issues pertaining to his action, discipline and injuries severely curtailed his career. In a little more than 13 years in international cricket, Shoaib managed just 46 Tests, but performed impressively, picking up 178 wickets at 25.69. He was a more regular feature in ODIs as Pakistan's spearhead, and picked up 247 wickets at 24.97.

More to follow

Osman Samiuddin is Pakistan editor of ESPNcricinfo

Feeds: Osman Samiuddin

[Devil Soul]

Well a final hurray... he wasted a lot of his time with getting involved in unnecessary incidents or else he would had archived more.. the guy have serious disciplinary issues, anyways wish him all the best & thanks for all those wonderful moments. u will always be remembered as "Rawalpindi Express"

[SAUD-404]

So we wont be seeing Rawalpindi Express anymore after this world cup, SAD

[nomi007]

we just waste akhtar in past matches

[alphamale]

he was a great bowler with not that great fortune. i am wishing to see for last time sachin vs akthar contest

[MZUBAIR]

he was a great bowler with not that great fortune. i am wishing to see for last time sachin vs akthar contest

Me too.....both are retiring after this WC...
May be they would have last time to battle each other ..!!

[JonAsad]

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4 for 71 v India, Asian Test Championship, Kolkata, 1999
Two balls that silenced 100,000 spectators. Indian fans weren't too familiar with Shoaib Akhtar but he introduced himself in a manner that left a packed Eden Gardens shell-shocked in a minute. He broke through Rahul Dravid's defences with a fiery inswinging yorker that uprooted leg stump but what followed was unfathomable to the crowd then. India's best batsman strolled to the crease to wild cheers and walked back to the pavilion to stunned silence. Facing Shoaib for the first time, Sachin Tendulkar was at the receiving end of another inswinging yorker, which he failed to keep out and which sent the middle stump cartwheeling towards the wicketkeeper. Shoaib had well and truly arrived. He bagged eight wickets in a match-winning performance.