Sports Desk- Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, popularly known as Rawalpindi Express, is often in the news. Shoaib Akhtar’s name is the record for throwing the fastest ball in cricket history. He bowled at a speed of 161.3 km per hour against England in the 2003 World Cricket Cup. That ball is still considered to be the fastest ball thrown in the world. Along with throwing that ball, Akhtar became the first bowler in the ICC tournament to bowl at a speed of 100 mph.
However, Shoaib Akhtar has to pay a huge price to become the world’s fastest bowler. He himself revealed this in an Indian show about 6 years ago. In 2014, he made a guest appearance on the Sony TV show ‘Entertainment Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega’. In the show, he told about the most painful moment of his life. He used to play by draining blood from his knees before every match.
However, his career was plagued by injuries. It is no secret that the ‘Rawalpindi Express’ had constant knee troubles and he played through pain. However, almost a decade after finishing his international career he made a painful revelation about his career. He revealed that doctors used to drain blood out of his knees before and after every match. Also, the Rawalpindi fast bowler was told that he will be able to play for just two years after making his debut.
“I was taken to the doctors after my first Test match and they told me I had about two years remaining. Doctors used to drain blood out of my knees before and after every match, fellow cricketers used to think that I was off to some club when in reality I would be at the hospital getting injected by four syringes,” Shoaib Akhtar revealed on his YouTube channel.
He told, “When I started, from 1994 to 2007, water and blood were extracted from my knees every day. Since there is hypomobility, one joint is placed on the other joint. I have never walked to the bathroom in the morning. I have moved Everyday morning. When the 2003 match was taking place. Then I was playing against Sachin in Centurion.
However, he defied life and played through pain. Akhtar went on to play about 14 years of international cricket. He made his international debut in a Test match against West Indies on his home ground. He last donned the Pakistan jersey in the 2011 World Cup. Akhtar took 247 wickets in 163 ODIs during his career.
