"I was offered captaincy in 2002" - Shoaib Akhtar on why he  turned down the chance to lead Pakistan

Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar recently revealed that he was offered the opportunity to lead the Men in Green in 2002. However, he turned down the opportunity, saying that he wasn't fit enough to play every game.

Akhtar was one of the most lethal fast bowlers of his time. His express pace used to send tremors down the batters' spine. The Rawalpindi Express, as he is famously known, was a legend in his own right.

Akhtar was offered the chance to lead Pakistan and add another feather to his cap, but the right-arm pacer didn't show any interest.

“I wasn't fit enough,” Akhtar told Suno News HD. “I could play three matches out of five. I was offered captaincy in 2002, but then I would've played only 1.5-2 years (if I played all matches)."

He also stated that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was extremely unstable at the time, saying that the apex body was full of mismanagement.

“I supported my teammates, but the board was very unstable. There was mismanagement all over the board. Pakistan itself had faced mismanagement at that time," he added.

Pakistan went through a tumultuous time between the late 1990s and early 2000s. Legendary pacer Wasim Akram was the skipper when Akhtar made his Test debut in 2007. Four months later, Rashid Latif was the leader of the side when Akhtar made his ODI debut, despite Akram being in the side.

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"Every person in power is mediocre" - Shoaib Akhtar lashes out at PCB

Shoaib Akhtar further lashed out at the current administrators, saying the officials embrace mediocrity and run away from responsibility.

“When your culture endures mediocrity, every person in power is mediocre," he added. "The mediocrity continues to increase. You see what the state is today. Is there anything we can manage right now? Nothing. Everyone runs away from responsibility."

In his 14-year-long career, Akhtar has featured in 46 Tests, 163 ODIs, and 15 T20Is, picking up 444 international wickets in total.

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