Sachin Tendulkar mentioned as Shoaib Akhtar confesses to doping and fooling PCB

Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has admitted that he and Saqlain Mushtaq used injections and painkillers to stay fit during Pakistan’s 1998-99 tour of India. Akhtar also said that pressure forced players to hide injuries through doping and fool senior cricketers as well as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Notably, in 2006, the PCB suspended Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif after both tested positive for the banned substance Nandrolone. Following the positive tests, the PCB withdrew both players from the Champions Trophy 2006. Akhtar failed to prove his innocence before the PCB’s Anti-Doping Committee.

We Were Secretly Taking Banned Pills - Shoaib Akhtar’s Shocking Doping Admission

On live TV, Shoaib Akhtar said that he used injections and painkillers to stay fit during Pakistan’s tour of India. Akhtar also mentioned Sachin Tendulkar and revealed that he and Saqlain Mushtaq hid their injuries and secretly resorted to doping under pressure.

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"Saqlain and I had a bet on who would get Sachin’s wicket during Pakistan's 1998-99 India tour. Both our knees had given up on us. We were secretly taking banned pills and injections just to keep ourselves going."

"If the seniors had found out, they would have dropped Saqlain, and in my case, I was already under constant pressure. They were just waiting for a reason to get rid of me. So we did everything quietly just to stay on the field.”

🚨BIG ADMISSION OF DOPING BY SHOAIB AKHTAR ON LIVE TV

"Saqlain and I had a bet on who would get Sachin’s wicket during Pakistan's 1998–99 India tour. Both our knees had given up on us. We were secretly taking banned pills and injections just to keep ourselves going." pic.twitter.com/qVo5I6Vk0Y

— Brutal Truth (@sarkarstix) February 24, 2026

Shoaib Akhtar and Sachin Tendulkar Defined India-Pakistan Battles

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, matches between India and Pakistan often centred on the battle between Shoaib Akhtar and Sachin Tendulkar. Akhtar led Pakistan’s fast bowling, while Tendulkar carried India’s batting.

Akhtar played 46 Tests and took 178 wickets at an average of 25.69, including 12 five-wicket hauls and two 10-wicket match hauls. He also picked up 247 wickets in 163 One Day Internationals at an average of 24.97, including four five-wicket hauls.

Meanwhile, Tendulkar remains the leading run-scorer in Test cricket and One Day Internationals. The former India skipper also holds the record for the most centuries in international cricket, with 100 hundreds to his name.

Shoaib Akhtar’s Major Off-Field Controversies

Akhtar was involved in several controversies during his career. During the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007 in South Africa, Akhtar was part of Pakistan’s squad but was sent back home midway through the tournament after a heated argument with teammates Mohammad Asif and Shahid Afridi.

The dispute began after Akhtar compared himself to Imran Khan, which led to ridicule from his teammates. The situation escalated quickly, and there were rumours that Akhtar even struck Asif with a bat. Following an internal inquiry, Akhtar was found guilty and handed a five-match ban.

In 2012, he accused the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) of internal politics and claimed that certain officials did not genuinely want the national team to succeed. He alleged that personal grudges and power struggles were prioritised over creating a healthy environment for the team.

Also read: Babar Azam set to be dropped! Pakistan consider big change ahead of must-win England clash