What’s the story?
Indian wicketkeeper MS Dhoni admitted that former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar was the toughest fast bowler he has faced in his career. Speaking at a gala dinner organized by Virat Kohli’s foundation, the 35-year-old also joked that even ICC don’t understand how Duckworth-Lewis method works.
It all began when MS Dhoni innocently asked the host Alan Wilkins a question, “You've been around cricket for a long time, so can I ask you a question, do you understand Duckworth-Lewis?” When the response was negative, with a wry smile, Dhoni added: “I don’t think even ICC understands the D/L method”
When asked about the toughest fast bowler he has faced, Dhoni said: “All the fast bowlers are quite difficult, with the limited technique I had, it was very difficult to face the fast bowlers. Still, if I had to pick one, I would pick Shoaib Akhtar. Very simple reason, he was quick, he was fast, he could bowl a yorker, he could bowl a bouncer but you never expected a beamer (he chuckles), he was a bit unpredictable, he was fun to play against.
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In case you didn’t know...
After India’s convincing win over Pakistan at Edgbaston, the Indian team attended a gala dinner that was hosted by the Indian captain Virat Kohli’s foundation. The fundraiser was attended by the entire Indian squad along with the coaching staff. The event also saw the presence of fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya, who wasn’t invited by the Indian team.
The heart of the matter
Although Dhoni didn’t get an opportunity to bat against Pakistan, India still managed a convincing 124-run victory over their arch-rivals at Edgbaston. With rain dominating the proceedings so far in this year's tournament which has already seen two games being washed out, Dhoni showed great presence of mind to pick on the D/L method before talking about the reason why Akhtar was so difficult to play against.
What’s next?
After victory over Pakistan in their opening game of the tournament, all eyes will turn to Sri Lanka, who are India’s next opponents.
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Author’s Take
With rain dominating the headlines so far in this year’s Champions Trophy, Dhoni unsurprisingly brought the issue of D/L even if it was in jest. Of the many quality bowlers that Dhoni has faced throughout his career, it was interesting to note that he went for the legendary Pakistan fast bowler. But as he mentioned, it is always difficult to face unpredictable bowlers who had everything in their arsenal and that was certainly the case with Akhtar.
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