"Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan have always protected me as a younger brother" - Shoaib Akhtar 

Former Pakistani quick Shoaib Akhtar has reminisced about his memories of staying in India and spending time with the likes of Bollywood superstars Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan.

In an exclusive interaction with Sportskeeda's YouTube channel, Shoaib Akhtar said Salman and Shah Rukh have always cared for and 'protected' him like a younger brother. Akhtar also recalled a time when he stayed in India so much that his local friends had started asking him to get his identity cards remade. Akhtar said:

"I loved interacting with people in Bombay (Mumbai), Salman and Shah Rukh have really taken care of me like a younger brother. And whenever I was with their families and their circles, they made sure to always protect me. Unfortunately, it's been five years, I haven't been able to come to India. But there was also a time when people had started asking me to get my Aadhar and Ration Cards made because of how much I worked there."

Shoaib Akhtar further said he's been praying for the political relations between India and Pakistan to improve so he could be the first person to land here and "make tons of money." He added:

"I have very fond memories of India, I just keep on praying (to come back), I recently told my friends, too, that hopefully India and Pakistan will have better relations in a few months and I'll be the first person to land in India and make tons of money (chuckles)."

Shoaib Akhtar debunks "shirtless race" with Salman Khan rumor

Shoaib Akhtar also debunked a long-held rumor that he and Salman Khan ran shirtless on the streets of Mumbai. He said he once had a meal with Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif at the actor's place where they simply exchanged shirts. Akhtar explained:

"We were at this place, myself, Katrina Kaif and Salman... Salman had asked me to eat with him before leaving. So, Salman being Salman, he can't see one thing - if your hands are empty, he'll give you a watch, if your shirt is dirty because of the party, he'll give you a new one. He just gave me one shirt that day, we had a similar size, and we were at his house only. Then we ate and everything and returned to Lahore. Here, in the morning I see the news that 'Salman Khan and Shoaib Akhtar ran shirtless in Bandra.'"

The pacer added that even Shah Rukh Khan called him to talk about the rumor and that he was caught by surprise by how much attention it had gleaned across borders. Shoaib Akhtar concluded:

"Even Shah Rukh Khan called me and asked if we did it. I told him no and that I was at Salman's house, he gave me his shirt because mine was dirty, we ate and I came back but it was all widespread in Pakistan. So, this was fake news. No such incident happened where we raced shirtless or anything."

Famously known as the "Rawalpindi Express," Shoaib Akhtar played 224 internationals for Pakistan, picking up 444 wickets across formats.