Shoaib Akhtar Denies Virender Sehwag's Famous Sledging Episode During The 2003 World Cup

Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has had some heated face-offs with several cricketers during his playing days. In particular, Shoaib Akhtar has experienced verbal wars with Indian cricketers as India-Pakistan clashes were arguably high-voltage ones. However, the tearaway speedster has denied one of the sledging incidents involving Virender Sehwag during the 2003 World Cup. He mentioned that no such thing took place.

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India and Pakistan faced each other for the fourth time in the 2003 edition with the former enjoying a perfect record against their arch-rivals. As Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag walked out to open the innings for India, Shoaib Akhtar kept bowling bouncers, inciting Sehwag to play the hook shot.

Sehwag responded by saying “Woh tera baap khada hai samne non-striking end pe, uss ko bol woh mar ke dikhayega” (Tell that to the man at the non-striker’s end, he will show you). The Nawab of Najafgarh famously told the Rawalpindi Express “baap baap hota ha, beta beta hota hai” during their crucial group game.

However, Shoaib Akhtar has brushed aside those claims, adding he would not have spared Sehwag in that case. A Pakistan journalist asked the speedster via Twitter to which he responded “Would he survive after saying something like that to me? Would I leave him? I would beat him up at the ground and then at the hotel,”

Question: Sehwag said something to you about Tendulkar, (referring to the Beta beta hota hai, baap baap hota hai story)

Shoaib Akhtar "Would he survive after saying something like that to me? Would I leave him? I would beat him up at the ground and then at the hotel"#Cricket

— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) August 1, 2020

Shoaib Akhtar conceded 72 runs in ten overs for a wicket:

Meanwhile, Shoiab Akhtar’s performance was underwhelming in that much-awaited clash against India as they romped home by six wickets. Saeed Anwar’s century and Rashid Latif’s crucial cameo helped them set a target of 274 for India. However, Sachin Tendulkar’s spearheaded India’s proceedings by giving them a blistering start.

When he was two runs shy of a well-deserving hundred, Akhtar delivered a short-ball that Tendulkar only managed to spoon it to the point fielder. Nevertheless, Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh remained unbeaten at 44 and 50 respectively to drive India to a crushing win.

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