Shoaib Akhtar highlights 'rare energy' lacked by Indian pacers despite no dearth of talent in country

Pakistan has been known for producing world-class bowlers especially pacers for the past few decades and many of them including the likes of Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Sami, Mohammad Amir, Shaheen Afridi, etc. have gone on to make the nation proud at the highest level with their exceptional bowling skills.

Lately, Pakistan cricket’s pace icon Shoaib Akhtar has made a huge statement that nowadays India has been producing good fast bowlers but, there is something that they lack. Giving further clarification on the same, the ex-speedster mentioned that the Indian pacers lack aggression and a killer instinct.

There is a difference between Pakistan and India when it comes to pacers: Shoaib Akhtar

“There is a difference between Pakistan and India. The Indians are producing good fast bowlers, but what they are lacking is the rare energy – that anger on your face, that attitude that I am going to just kill you,” said Akhtar while speaking alongside his Australian counterpart Brett Lee on a podcast as quoted by Hindustan Times.

Furthermore, the ‘Rawalpindi Express’  revealed how Pakistan has been able to dominate fast bowling for decades and at the same time, also explained the reason behind them having the lion’s mentality.

“The idols that we have, the food, the environment, the attitude. At the same time, you have people like me who are full of energy. It gives us pleasure to bowl quick. You become what you eat, right? My nation eats lots of animals and we end up being like animals. When it comes to fast bowlers, we just run in like lions,”  he said.

Shoaib Akhtar has represented the Men In Green in 46 Tests, 163 One Day Internationals and, 15 T20Is from 1997 to 2011 and went on to register 178, 247, and, 19 scalps across formats. The ‘Rawalpindi Express’ is recognized as the fastest bowler in the history of the game, delivering a world record top speed of 161.3 km/h (100.23 mph) during the group stage match against England in World Cup 2003. He called it a day after the 2011 World Cup. Pakistan were one of the favorites in that tournament but, were knocked out following a 29-run loss to arch-rivals India in the semis.