On this day: Shoaib Akhtar goes past the 100 mph barrier
How would it be, if you have run in giving it your everything, bowled a ball over 100 mph, but your effort has not been recognized? Well, ask the ‘Rawalpindi Express’ Shoaib Akhtar, and he knows it. On 27th April 2002, Akhtar delivered a ball at a skyrocketing speed of 100.04 mph in an ODI match against New Zealand, but the International Cricket Council (ICC) seemed to have a problem with it.
According to the ICC, there was no ‘appropriate tool’ that was there to measure the speed, and as a result, the ball did not make it to the record books. Anyways, let us delve into what happened in the match where Shoaib Akhtar unofficially broke the 100 mph barrier.
Pakistan post 278
On this eventful day, Pakistan won the toss and decided to have a bat. And, the star performer with the willow for the Pakistan side was Shoaib Malik. Opening the batting, the right-hander scored a sensational 115 off 142 deliveries to lay the foundation for the Pakistan side. Apart from Malik, the likes of Mohammad Yousuf and Inzamam-ul-Haq contributed some vital runs as well.
While Yousuf scored a sparkling 53, Inzamam helped himself to 35, as the Pakistan side ended their first innings with their scorecard reading 278/5. In reply, the New Zealand side failed to step up to the challenge. Not even a single Kiwi batsman could even score a half-century, as the Black Caps could just muster a total of 212 runs on the board.
Shoaib Malik stars for Pakistan
Craig McMillan, Lou Vincent and Chris Harris contributed some vital runs to lend some respectability to the Kiwi total. Shoaib Malik made the ball dance to his tunes. The off-spinner bowled 10 overs, gave away just 37 runs, and also picked up 3 wickets. Apart from Malik, Mohammad Sami scalped a couple of wickets as well.
And, for his scintillating all-round display that allowed Pakistan to thrash the New Zealand side by 66 runs, Shoaib Malik was awarded the Player of the Match award. But then, 27th April 2002 will go down in history as the day Shoaib Akhtar broke the 100-mile barrier ‘UNOFFICIALLY’.
However, in just a year’s time, Akhtar would go past the 100 mph mark, during the 2003 World Cup against England, but that is for another day.
