Shoaib Akhtar Hits Back At The ICC; Accuses The Apex Body Of Throwing Neutrality 'Out Of The Window'

Shoaib Akhtar, former Pakistan fast bowler, has hit back at the International Cricket Council after the apex cricketing body brutally trolled the ‘Rawalpindi Express’ over his comments on Steve Smith.

It all started after ESPNCricinfo posted an infographic that featured match-ups between the great batsman of the current era and legendary bowlers of the 1990s and 2000s.

Shoaib Akhtar was pitted against Australian run-machine Steve Smith. Reacting to the post, Akhtar wrote:

“Even today, 3 hurting bouncers and I can dismiss @stevesmith49 on the 4th ball. Lol.”

Even today, 3 hurting bouncers and i can dismiss @stevesmith49 on the 4th ball. Lol https://t.co/6vvmrfFHNK

— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) May 11, 2020

Post Akhtar’s tweet, the former fast bowler was brutally trolled by fans who thought that former fast bowler was boasting of his skills too much and undermining Steve Smith’s talent at the same time.

But what the ICC did next certainly took the trolling to another level as they proceeded to post a hilarious meme as a reply to Akhtar’s tweet.

pic.twitter.com/IHqHevy35e

— ICC (@ICC) May 12, 2020

Also Read: Shoaib Akhtar Demands Apology From Tafazzul Rizvi In Response To Defamation Notice

Shoaib Akhtar responds to ICC’s hilarious jibe

And, clearly it hasn’t gone down well with the former tearaway fast bowler. Replying to the ICC, Shoaib Akhtar accused ICC of ‘throwing neutrality out of the window, while at the same time, questioned the apex body’s state of affairs.

“A symbolic tweet, how ICC has thrown neutrality out of the window. Basically this is how the state of affairs are run there,” tweeted Akhtar.

A symbolic tweet, how ICC has thrown neutrality out of the window.
Basically this is how the state of affairs are run there 🙂 https://t.co/OEoJx30lXt

— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) May 13, 2020

Coming back to Steve Smith v Shoaib Akhtar, it certainly would have been a brilliant match-up between someone who looks like a monk masquerading as a batsman and a bolter, who thrived on terrorizing the batsmen with whirlwind pace during his playing days.

Steve Smith has recently struggled against Neil Wagner’s short-pitch ploy and it would have been interesting to see how he’d have countered a rampaging Shoaib Akhtar during his prime. Smith is the current No.1 ranked batsmen in the world. The right-hander has racked up 7227 runs in 73 Tests at an average of 62.84 with the help of 29 fifties and 26 hundreds.

Akhtar, on the other hand, played 46 Tests for Pakistan, in which he claimed a total of 178 wickets at an average of 25, including 12 five-wicket-hauls.

Also Read: “I Won’t Spare You”: Shoaib Akhtar Slams Virender Sehwag After Backtracking From Sledging Claims