Shoaib Akhtar was a fearsome sight for the batsmen around the world even towards end of his career, bowling over 150kph despite limping during the run-up with pain in his knees.
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Known as Rawalpindi Express, Shoaib is the fastest bowler to grace international cricket and the cricketer deserved a great send off for all his contribution to international and Pakistani cricket.
Back in 2011, such a legend was not given the hero's farewell he deserved, thanks to Wellington-born Kiwi Ross Taylor – the man who finds mid-wicket with the ferocity of a bullet out of a rifle.
Taylor had been dropped twice by Pakistan’s butter-fingered wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal before he launched an assault on the fastest man on the planet.
At that stage the most which was expected from them was to somehow touch the 250-mark to put a fighting total on the board. But the 47th over saw Taylor, who until then had made 76 off 111 balls with a responsible approach, turned into a six-machine, taking 27 runs off Shoaib with three sixes and two boundaries.
In the last four overs, New Zealand amassed 92 runs to take their total to 302 for seven in 50 overs as Pakistani fielders looked for the ground to swallow them.
Taylor ended up with 131 off 124 balls, bludgeoning 55 from his last 13 balls in a destructive knock.
His seven sixes hurt Pakistan emotionally, with reports emerging that Shoaib kicked Kamran Akmal in the dressing room.
Pakistan went on to lose that match by 110 runs and the result ultimately cost Shoaib his place in playing XI to take on India in the semis.
Shoaib just could not digest that he would sit out the hotly-anticipated semi-final and opted to declare his retirement before the match, terming it as his first death.
– 7 days to go: Taylor sends Shoaib Akhtar off in style
– 8 days to go: Zimbabwe's record eight-wicket stand
– 9 days to go: Crazy nines from World Cup minnows
– 10 days to go: Chris Old's record still new
– 11 days to go: Viv Richards wins it for West Indies
– 12 days to go: The support from outside the rope
– 13 days to go: O'Brien storm blows England away
– 14 days to go: Arvinda de Silva in world of his own
– 15 days to go: Australia bamboozle the Namibians
– 16 days to go: New format catches out India, Pakistan
– 17 days to go: Madan Lal’s 17 wickets help India to triumph
– 18 days to go: Dennis delight at first World Cup century
– 19 days to go: Economical Imran Khan of Pakistan
– 20 days to go: Bichel cleans up against England
– 21 days to go: Sachin Tendulkar the runs machine
– 22 days to go: The unwanted record of Nathan Astle
– 23 days to go: Nehra rattles England in South Africa
– 24 days to go: The great Kapil Dev's strike rate for India
– 25 days to go: Australia's Invincibles dominate for eight
– 26 days to go: Glenn McGrath's wicket-taking exploits
– 27 days to go: Zaheer Khan's striking ability
– 28 days to go: Herschelle Gibbs just loves sixes
– 29 days to go: Australia's 29-ball haul destroys India
