'He is God? Won't spare him': Shoaib Akhtar recalls his run up to rivalry with Tendulkar

Considered as one of the most intense rivalries of the game, India-Pakistan matches have often been games of high intensity and entertainment as well. From the Sohail-Prasad banter to the Gambhir-Afridi war, cricket between the two countries has often led to battles between the players on the field. However, one of the most cherished ones has been between two of the greatest players of the respective countries, Sachin Tendulkar and Shoaib Akhtar. Akhtar, on one hand, holds the record for the fastest ball while Tendulkar, the batting maestro, has been regarded as the 'God' of cricket. 

Recalling his rivalry with Sachin Tendulkar, Shoaib Akhtar in a recent interview revealed his first thoughts before his encounter with Tendulkar. The Rawalpindi Express recalled that he had heard that Tendulkar is regarded as the 'God of Cricket' and then he thought that he would not spare the Indian. Speaking to a Pakistan news channel, Akhtar said, "I had heard that he is God and I thought if he is God, I won't spare him. I did not know him, he did not know me. He had his own attitude and I had my own. I wanted to get his wicket on my first bowl and I did get it." 

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In the same interview, he also mentioned that he had been approached several people for fixing India-Pakistan matches. "Several people have approached me for fixing," Akhtar said. The former Pakistani skipper went on to state that Shoaib Malik is neither a great captain nor batsman and that Pakistan cricket did not improve under the reign of World Cup-winning skipper Imran Khan. Earlier, former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi had claimed that 'some spells' from Shoaib Akhtar have pushed some of the world's best including Tendulkar on to the backfoot. In 2011, in his book, the former skipper had claimed that the Indian great was 'scared' to face the Rawalpindi Express and that he has seen it himself. 

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"You can easily understand that a batsman is under pressure, he is not at his usual best. I’m not saying that Shoaib has scared Tendulkar always but there have been some spells from Shoaib that have pushed some of the world’s best including Tendulkar on to the back foot," former Pakistan skipper Afridi had said. 

READ | Shoaib Akhtar Cherishes Battles Against Sachin Tendulkar, Says They Were His 'Treasure'

Sachin-Shoaib battle 

The rivalry between Sachin Tendulkar and Pakistan's Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar has often delighted fans. The duo had first clashed during the 1999 Asian Test Championship where Akhtar had got the better of Little Master on his very first bowl. However, the Indian came back stronger in the next battle which was one of the most epic ones as he ran a riot against Pakistan during the 2003 World Cup smashing 98 runs from 75 balls itself. Over the years, the veteran cricketers encountered each other several times but whenever they clashed, sheer competition and the determination to come out on top was witnessed.

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