They Should Have Played Me In 2011 WC Semis Against India, Was Completely Unfair From Team Management - Shoaib Akhtar

Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar lamented the fact that he was kept out of the playing XI for the semifinal of the 2011 ODI World Cup against India.

Akhtar was declared unfit ahead of the game but he insisted he was treated unfairly by the management despite knowing those two games could well end up being the final matches of his career.

“Mohali memory haunts me…that 2011 World Cup semi-final. They should have played me, they should have. It was completely unfair from the team management. I knew that I had just two matches left and I had this desire that at Wankhede the Pakistan flag is held high and the team is playing the final.”

“I would have dismissed Sachin and Sehwag” – Shoaib Akhtar

Akhtar felt that he could have dismissed the strong Indian opening duo of Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar early on which could have tilted the game in Pakistan’s favor.

“They told me I was unfit. But I went inside, I bowled eight straight overs during the warm-up. If I played that match, no matter what the consequence would have been, I would have dismissed Sachin and Sehwag. India would have collapsed if Sachin and Sehwag were dismissed early. I was really really hurt.”

India went on to defeat Pakistan and then Sri Lanka in the final to lift the 2011 ODI World Cup.

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