Shoaib Akhtar | File Photo
Legendary fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar recalled how difficult it was for him to watch Pakistan lose to India during the 2011 World Cup.
Akhtar, in conversation with Sportskeeda, said that the memory of the World Cup semifinal still haunts him, and if he played that game, he would have taken Sachin and Sehwag down. He also mentioned how India was under tremendous pressure.
Mohali's memory haunts me, the 2011 World Cup semifinal. I knew India was under tremendous pressure as 1.3 billion people and the media were all over them. So then we were underdogs and we shouldn't have taken pressure. I was so sad because if I had played that game, I would have taken down Sehwag and Sachin. I knew if we hold these two players from the top, India will collapse.
He also said he was furious over management for not playing him in the all-important game, and the entire match was based on the first 10 overs.
I only know how I spent those six hours seeing Pakistan losing. I am not the kind of a person who cries but I break things. So I broke a few things in the dressing room. I was so furious and disappointed and so was my whole nation. It was a game of the first ten overs.
He further went on to say that it was really unfair on him, and he desperately wanted the Pakistan flag flying high at the Wankhede.
They should have played me. The management didn't play me and that was unfair to me. I just had these two matches with me and I wanted the Pakistan flag to fly high at Wankhede. They told me I was unfit, but I bowled eight overs in the warm-up. I was very hurt by that.”
