Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has urged former India player Mohammad Kaif not to charge down the pitch and irritate him during the ongoing Howzat Legends League Cricket (LLC) in Oman. The two adversaries came across one another in the ongoing competition and it was Kaif's India Maharajas who beat the Asia XI in the maiden match of the tournament. In a funny post-match interview, the 'Rawalpindi Express' was irritated by Kaif's tactics to come down the pitch.
After the match, Akhtar was full of praise but was seemingly irritated by Maharajas captain and was quoted as saying in a funny remark, “He is walking towards me again. I just feel like punching him.”
“I have told him (Kaif) many-a-times on television to not walk on him but he did it again,” Akhtar added in the post-match.
,
The two shared a feisty rivalry in their competitive days in international cricket. The on-field rivalry between Kaif and Akhtar goes back to the 2003 World Cup when India beat Pakistan. The rivals would meet again on multiple occasions in years gone by, famously India's first tour of Pakistan in 2004. A destructive Kaif was a tough negotiator with the bat down the order whereas Akhtar was the ace of Pakistani attack in those days.
Kaif led the India Maharajas to a well-deserved win on the opening night of LLC as the Maharajas came out on top in the final over, thanks to Yusuf Pathan's 80 off 40 deliveries. Kaif, on the other hand, played the anchor role and stayed unbeaten for 42 off 37 deliveries to steer the Maharajas home. The Pathan-Kaif pair put together a fourth-wicket stand of 117 runs, which proved to be the decisive factor in the win.
Akhtar turned out to be the top-performer for his side in the bowling department. He conceded 21 runs in his four overs and got the wicket of opener Stuart Binny with the new ball.
The ongoing edition of LLC in Oman has once again brought the nation on cricketing map after it recently hosted the qualifiers for the T20 World Cup 2021.
