Re: Rediscovered Shoaib Akhtar - THE UNPLAYABLE
Re: Rediscovered Shoaib Akhtar - THE UNPLAYABLE
you want partner? ok take Agarkar.
Re: Rediscovered Shoaib Akhtar - THE UNPLAYABLE
I wonder what the Worcestershire chairman thinks of Shoaib now.
Re: Rediscovered Shoaib Akhtar - THE UNPLAYABLE
I was hoping that another Shoaib thread would not be coming ,, but here we are again ,,,
I for one and few other devoted guppies stuck to their guns and like wise understood the problems shoaib was facing through the media, craze-hyped guppies and the entire nation
Many pretences and name calling were wrong and unnecessary.
The 'Bashers' should learn a lesson out of this to always show restrain and some form of positive understanding or 'admit' being an ordinary street level, name calling ' Fan' who's worth is no more or less than the paan he chews.
Remember some time it pays to be less analytical.
Pun intended ! :D
Re: Rediscovered Shoaib Akhtar - THE UNPLAYABLE
--------------cvabn------------
totaly agree !
And perhaps, people should have given some attention to what he was saying or complaining about all along in his own unique way. 
Re: Rediscovered Shoaib Akhtar - THE UNPLAYABLE
Shoaib needs to stick to his guns and keep working as he has been. In fact, he has to work harder now to keep the momentum up. After the success of the test series its very easy to come crashing down to earth and get clobbered all over the park in a ODI. Expectations has risen even more now.
This is a massive challenge for him and personally I think he has the heart to put behind all the arrogance and show boating behind him and really show he can do it consistently.
Come on Shoby! 
Re: Rediscovered Shoaib Akhtar - THE UNPLAYABLE
did any one happen to see the bruise on Shoaibs left shoulder, which he showed during the interview " Shoaib Ka Bouncer" after the 3rd test was over.
He was struck twice at least by deliveries from Harmison and company. it was a big one. After showing that one on left shoulder he said, that there are 3,4 other, which I cant show you 
.
Re: Rediscovered Shoaib Akhtar - THE UNPLAYABLE
**The new Shoaib **](BBC SPORT | Cricket | England | The new Shoaib)
Before the Test series against England, hard-working, serious and committed were never adjectives freely used to describe Shoaib Akhtar.
Frequent injury problems and accusations of playing to the gallery had overshadowed the Pakistan paceman’s success in taking 144 wickets in 36 Tests.
Critics were lining up to question whether he deserved to be in the team, saying there was no way he could fit into the disciplined modern approach favoured by coach Bob Woolmer.
Detractors said he was far too selfish, flamboyant and irresponsible to make consistent contributions.
But it is plaudits rather than brickbats that will now be coming his way after his efforts in the hosts’ 2-0 triumph.
The 30-year-old was the outstanding bowler in three matches played on batsmen’s paradises, taking 17 wickets and troubling the tourists with his clever use of the slower ball and his 95mph inswinging yorkers.
By the end of the third Test in Lahore, the trademark smile was back - but unlike previously, this one beamed out satisfaction rather than mischief.
“The biggest turnaround for me has been Shoaib,” Woolmer enthused. “We can see that when he’s fit and bowling he’s a tremendous asset and makes a big difference to Pakistani cricket.”
In January, however, The “Rawalpindi Express” was on a fast track to obscurity after coming home early from the tour of Australia with a recurrence of a hamstring injury.
Not for the first time, dark suggestions were made about whether the injury was genuine or another example of the showman bowing out when the show wasn’t going quite to plan.
Worcestershire chairman John Elliott provided more evidence for the prosecution when he launched a scathing attack on the bowler, questioning his attitude and work-rate during his stint with the county.
“Shoaib has been no good for any club he’s been at,” he moaned.
“It’s all about team spirit and getting the dressing room right and when you’ve got a bloke like Shoaib in there, it can cause mayhem.”
When Bollywood director Mahesh Bhatt expressed an interest in casting him in one of his films, it added to the perception that his talents lay in showbusiness rather than competitive sport.
Some observers muttered that it was box office appeal as much as anything that earned him a place in the World XI squad for the Super Series against Australia in October.
The two appearances he made in the one-dayers were wicketless and expensive, and it was no surprise when he failed to make the line-up for the Test.
Rather than giving up on him, however, Woolmer sensed an opportunity here: Shoaib’s pride was hurting and he had something to prove.
He had missed the drawn Test series in India and the West Indies, and was in danger of slipping down the pecking order in his own country, let alone on the world stage.
Before the first Test in Multan, Woolmer played on that by saying: “He has to confirm his fitness to us. He has to justify his place in the presence of this pack of pacers we’ve at our disposal now.”
The results were almost immediate - Shoaib was back to his devastating best to inspire a thrilling and unlikely victory.
His willingness to toil and use his brain to work out ways to succeed on similarly unforgiving pitches in Faisalabad and Lahore impressed Inzamam-ul-Haq.
The skipper, who had questioned his younger team-mate’s commitment in the home defeat by India in 2004, was now moved to say: "He is working really hard and has given more than 100%.
Shoaib’s new-found responsible attitude extended to his batting, which previously used to be all about eye-catching and reckless shots.
But in the second innings in Multan he stuck around for 46 balls to help add crucial runs with Kamran Akmal, in Faisalabad he patiently occupied the crease again, while in Lahore he combined watchful defence with big hitting.
“You can see how serious he is now from the way he concentrates when he’s batting,” Inzamam added. “Now everybody’s fighting, from one to 11, and that’s been the main thing for our team.”
One after the other, team-mates joined in praising his role in Pakistan’s stunning triumph, while Inzamam’s opposite number Michael Vaughan singled out Shoaib as the main thorn in England’s side.
Interestingly, the player himself spoke at length after his heroics about “keeping my feet on the ground” and “plenty of hard work ahead”. There was no soundbite and no brash prediction about breaking speed records. Indeed, eight years after making his Test debut, Pakistan know they can now rely on Shoaib to play - and graft - for the team.
Re: Rediscovered Shoaib Akhtar - THE UNPLAYABLE
Ehsan bhai, you have turned around your career on Gupshup and are posting articles that are praising Shoaib Akhtar. You are a changed man just like Shoaib. I am so proud of you :D .
Re: Rediscovered Shoaib Akhtar - THE UNPLAYABLE
^ He used to be anti-Afridi too, and now he is Afridi-lover
Re: Rediscovered Shoaib Akhtar - THE UNPLAYABLE
There was a program on ARY with PJ Mir and Asif Iqbal (I posted the full program in highlight section) in that program Asif Iqbal kept praising and praising and praising and praising and so on....Shoaib Akhtar.
Re: Rediscovered Shoaib Akhtar - THE UNPLAYABLE
I am neither anti nor pro Shoaib, I am just pro Pakistan. If any player performs for Pakistan I support him if he doesn’t than I don’t. If Shoiab goes back to his bad old ways I will not support him. 
Re: Rediscovered Shoaib Akhtar - THE UNPLAYABLE
Ehsan bhai ^ this is an article out of BBC Sport. Sorry! But this article and one from Mr. John Elliot (idiot) are no worth than the paper they were written on.
For the later if Shoaib was no fit act to their clown team. Then he should criticize the bowler in the context of his county commitment. What I see is that this Elliot idiota has crossed the county boundaries to intentionally making it a severe character assassination quoting the incidents and the areas and regions that don't concern him.
It’s a clear cut case of either Shoaib should go after him and few others and sue them or just turns a leaf!!!
No justification to earlier harsh bashing he faced can be justified. Western media and the Elliot sorts are just picking Q's from our own cricket fanaticism there in Pakistan!