An ex-chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has revealed how the late ICC chief Jagmohan Dalmiya, who had led the international governing body from 1997 to 200, had once saved the career of former Pakistan pacer, Shoaib Akhtar, after his bowling action was put under the scanner.
“Jagmohan, who had been president of the ICC and was an influential voice, supported us a lot in the Shoaib Akhtar bowling action case. He took a stand for us despite the ICC members insisting that Akhtar’s bowling action was illegal,” Lt General (retd) Tauqir Zia, who headed the PCB from 1999 to 2003, said.
“But due to the stance taken by Dalmiya and myself the ICC eventually conceded that Akhtar had a medical flaw in his bowling arm since birth which gave him hyper elbow extension and he was allowed to play on,” he added.
Meanwhile, Akhtar has initiated a mild controversy by proposing a three-match ODI series between India and Pakistan to raise funds for the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
“You are bound to get massive viewership for the games. For the first time, both countries will play for each other. And whatever funds are generated through this can be donated equally to the government of India and Pakistan to fight this pandemic,” Akhtar had said as quoted by PTI.
However, his claims were gently dismissed by Indian legends Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar. While the 1983 World Cup-winning captain said India have enough money to overcome the crisis, Gavaskar joked that there were more chances for snowfall to happen in Lahore than an India-Pakistan series.
The World’s fastest bowlers, though, got back to both the Indian legends and stood firm on his points.
To Kapil he said, “I don’t think Kapil bhai understood what I was trying to say. Everyone is going to be trapped economically. This is the time to put our heads together and generate revenues. I’m talking about the larger perspective, about economic reforms.”
For Gavaskar, the world’s fastest bowler had a surprise as he showed him a snowy Lahore to suggest that anything is possible.