'Oh my word! Crazy' - Kevin Pietersen recalls Shoaib Akhtar's lethal bowling spell during 2005 Pakistan tour

Kevin Pietersen, the former England batsman has revealed that he had a tough tour to Pakistan back in 2005. And, he was shocked to watch Shoaib Akhtar bowling at an unimaginable pace in that particular Test series. The former skipper travelled to the country with full confidence on the back of his brilliant performances in 2005 Ashes. However, he ended up scoring only 201 runs with one ton in Tests on that tour.

In 2005, England toured Pakistan for playing the three-match Test series. The visitors came with a formidable batting line-up. But, that was blown away by Rawalpindi Express Akhtar, who grabbed 17 wickets in his three appearances. In the end, the hosts won the series by 2-0.

‘That was frightening’ – Kevin Pietersen

Pietersen went down the memory lane and said it was his first-ever tour to Pakistan for playing Test series in 2005. As per him, he was simply frightened by the pace at which Shoaib Akhtar bowled. The 39-year-old added that it was something that he had never witnessed in his international career, “My first proper Test tour abroad was Pakistan. It was straight off the 2005 Ashes. That [tour] was frightening. The speed at which Shoaib Akhtar bowled in that series, my goodness!” Pietersen said as quoted by Cricket Pakistan.

During the interaction, he also threw light on the Flintoff-Akhtar’s sledging episode. Pietersen said that the Rawalpindi Express was struggling with some issues in his knee in one of the games. Meanwhile, Flintoff came out and said to the speedster that he was looking like a Tarzan but bowling very slow, “I remember it was quite funny. Shoaib was struggling with his knee and he wasn’t bowling as quick and Freddie [Andrew Flintoff] turned to him and said ‘Shoaib, it’s no use looking like Tarzan and bowling like Jane buddy’,” he added

According to former England skipper, his teammate’s move backfired and former Pakistan pacer began bowling quicker than he was bowling in the morning, “You could see that Shoaib took this to heart. My goodness! The speed at which Shoaib Akhtar bowled in that Test series, oh my word! Crazy, he was bowling faster at five in the afternoon than he was in the morning. It was crazy, crazy,” former England skipper asserted.