Aamer Sohail feels Pakistan team management wasted Shoaib Akhtar’s talent

Former Pakistan captain Aamer Sohail believes that the Pakistan cricket team management have failed to get the best out of retiring fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar.

"If he (Shoaib Akhtar) was selected to play in the World Cup, then our team management should have devised a plan to use him but it seems like they did not have anything like that. Pakistan failed to get the best out of him," Sohail was quoted as saying by a leading newspaper of Pakistan.

Shoaib Akhtar, the fastest bowler in the history of international cricket, started the mega cricket event with high hopes but failed to give the performance he is known for. He was apparently so disappointed with his individual performance in the 14-nation tournament that he has decided to bid adieu to the International cricket after the World Cup.

But the former opening batsman of Pakistan reckoned that it was not really the bowler’s fault; instead he blamed Pakistan team management for its failure to utilise the pacer in the best possible way.

Sohail gave the example of the Australia team management and how they have aptly used their frontline pacers. Recalling the 2007 World Cup, Sohail– who is also a former chief selector of Pakistan Cricket Board – praised Australia’s strategy of using Glenn McGrath as a first change bowler. He also hailed the Aussie management for capitalising on speedster Brett Lee in the ongoing World Cup.

Shoaib Akhtar, who holds the record of bowling the fastest delivery in international cricket, has picked 247 one-day and 178 Test wickets. Sohail feels that the stats could have been much better had the fast bowler been used in the best way.

Reminiscing his first encounter with the explosive pace bowler, he said that the first thing he noticed was his confidence and passion for the game.

“It was obvious that he was a fighter,” said the 44-year-old. “He was just like a wild and untamed horse. Had he been tamed to do the job properly, he could have achieved much more,” he added further.

Tagged in: cricket, Australia, Brett Lee, Shoaib Akhtar, World Cup, Pakistan, Bowling, ODIs, Glenn McGrath, 2007 world cup, Aamer Sohail, Pace Bowling