Shoaib Akhtar Wants Bodyline Bowling To Be Allowed Back In The Laws Of Cricket

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar wants the bodyline bowling method to be allowed in modern-day cricket.

Bodyline bowling is a traditional method used by England pacers during the 1932-33 Ashes where the ball was hurled at the batter’s body, which forced him to play it either towards the leg-side or get struck.

I want unlimited bouncers: Shoaib Akhtar

The pitches in Pakistan has come under the scanner for not producing adequate results in the ongoing Test series between Pakistan and Australia. Akhtar, who picked 178 Test wickets in 46 Tests, said that modern-day players don’t display enough aggression in their bowling and hence demanded to reinstate the bodyline rule, which has been outlawed for over 90 years.

“Nowadays, they [modern cricket players] are very soft. I don’t think the aggression is as much there now. I don’t know why. I’m old school, like Ian Chappell. I want unlimited bouncers. Bodyline bowling should be allowed. Why not? I want some character,” Akhtar told reporters in Pakistan, as reported by Daily Mail.

I wanted to see if Ricky Ponting could match my pace: Shoaib Akhtar

Akhtar picked 11 wickets from three Test matches during the Pakistan team’s visit to Australia in the 2004/5 tour. The ‘Rawalpindi Express’ recollected the memories of his fiery battles with Ricky Ponting, Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden.

“I gave it to them. In the 2005 series, me and [Justin] Langer got into a fight. Me and [Matt] Hayden got into a fight. It’s verbal, not physical. I wanted to display my talent [and show] that I am better than you,’ Akhtar said.

‘During the Test match, I thought let’s hurt somebody. That’s why I bowled the fastest spell. I wanted to see if Ricky can match my pace and I was purposely bowling bouncers [to] see if I could beat him but before that, I had never beaten him with my sheer pace.

‘Had it not been Ricky Ponting … I would have chopped his [the batsman’s] head off because it was furiously fast,” he concluded. 

Akhtar clocked 161.3 kph against England during a 2003 World Cup fixture to record the fastest delivery, which is yet to be shattered.

Also Read: Top 5 Current Bowlers Who Can Break Shoaib Akhtar’s Record Of The Fastest Delivery