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iCricketer.com  > News  > September 21

September 21 Saturday 2002
Shoaib Akhtar eyes Pakistan captaincy

COLOMBO: With the crisis in Pakistan cricket deepening everyday, ace pace bowler Shoaib Akhtar has staked his claim for the captaincy of the team.

Speaking to a website, Shoaib said: "It (the captaincy) will come to me. I know that I am capable of leading the Pakistan team."

He, however, stated he had no intention of "running for it". "Whenever the captaincy comes to me, in one year's time or six months I want to be in control of the team. I want to serve the country and make sure that I leave my name in the book of history forever."

Shoaib said he did not want to "merely be a great bowler or a selfish captain, but a great servant of the country." "I'll prove that I am a great leader of men when the time comes. Let us have a toss first then I will show whether I'll bat first or bowl first. I don't know right now."

Two years ago, Shoaib had, in an interview with the same website, called himself "a wild horse." "I'm not a wild horse anymore. I am wise now. I am a good boy. Those who know me as a person know that I am a simple guy. It is hard to promote myself as a good guy on the television or on paper. I just want to lead my life just by myself instead of running after newspapers and convincing them that I am a nice guy."

Contending that the race with Brett Lee for the title of fastest bowler is over, Shoaib said he had already proved himself as the fastest in the world. "I bowled the fastest ball against New Zealand in Pakistan and proved to everyone that I am the best. In 1999 I was the fastest bowler; Brett was nowhere near my pace." 

He, however, hastened to add that he wanted to be the greatest bowler and not the fastest, and wanted to be remembered as a bowler who was known to have a clever head and a brave heart.

He described most of the greatest cricketers as "mad". The reasoning being they don't see situations and instead play their game with guts. "When you are more than brave you are mad. Sir Viv Richards was mad when he went out to bat without wearing a helmet and hooked bowlers hurling the ball at 100 miles at him. But there is cleverness behind the madness."

Despite the dismal performance at the ICC Champions Trophy, Shoaib claimed that Pakistan was the most talented side in world cricket. He pointed out that Pakistan played Australia on their home soil early that year at only half of their capability and still beat them. "I was in the right rhythm and I think we exposed the Australian batting in that series."

He pointed towards a weak link in the Australian batting, saying: "If you get the top-order out early, you get through the whole team."

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