enigmatic and controversial bowlers of the modern era.Shoaib Akhtar-the fastest bowler to ever set foot on the cricket field at least officially(100.2 mph),was effectively handed over a life ban to play for his country anywhere,ever again.After playing for more than 11 years,stats of only 46 tests doesn't quite provide sermon to the service that the speedster has put in for his country.Picking up more than 178 wickets in them with mostly match winning 12-5fers only re-instates the prodigy of a man who could never come to terms with containing his own image as a match winner.
From being a rage in the world cup in 99 for being the major force behind Pakistan reaching the finals,breaking the bones and in the process the courage of many prominent batsmen to being banned for drugs,being the star player to wreck the Englishmen for a 2-0 whitewash and then finally being at the receiving end of a career threatening 5 year ban,Akhtar has seen it all.His ability to bowl menacingly fast reverse swinging yorkers, well disguised slow balls, and sharp bouncers made him lethal even on dead pitches.He is also regarded as the only bowler to bowl above 100 mph-twice.Once regarded as the biggest competition to Brett Lee,it became difficult as time progressed to find both the pacers to square off against each other,for Akhtar was never fully able to participate in any series,constantly being penalized for some or the other reason..While Lee carried on to spear head the Aussie pace attack with devotion after the departure of McGrath,Pakistani captains started to think real hard on how to include Shoaib in the playing eleven without Akhtar being banned of fined for over aggression,slow over rate,indiscipline or late night parties. 
Constantly weighed down by a nation infamous for first ousting or disgracing politicians,sports persons and celebrities and then revoking bans or exiles,Akhtar's journey has been nothing short of turbulent to say the least.After about a million fines and short bans for conduct not befitting a cricketer,the real trouble started first when he was sent back home disgracefully from a tour in Australia in 2005.After serving yet another agonizing exile for the same,he returned to the team briefly only to be dropped from the side in the 2006 champions trophy for testing positive for nandrolene.Again he was banned for 2 years,only to be cleared yet again by the whimsical PCB.But Akhtar's saga was far from over yet.By the end of 2007,Akhtar was charged of assault and battery when he hit his team mate Asif,with a bat.Finally the board had had enough and he was banned for an indefinite period.
The calibre of this bowler was pretty much evident when he sent Sachin Tendulkar's stump cart-wheeling right up to the wicket keeper for the very first time he bowled to him,following it up immediately next ball by getting through the defences of Rahul Dravid,a feat thought to be difficult to achieve by even veteran fast bowlers.The 
question that comes to the mind is all said and done,what difference is Shoaib Aktar's absence going to make to cricket?The answer surprisingly is-not a lot.After stealing the hearts of millions of female fans throughout the world and being the role model of an equal number of aspiring fast bowlers,Akhtar,from being one of the most feared bowlers has faded into memory as a gutsy player who played his childish but king sized heart out for his country time and again.Banning a person for a meagre reason such as speaking his mind on what he felt on being demoted in the contracts list and that too for 5 years which is only euphemism at it's best for at 32,it is practically curtains to the career of a fine competitor.As in many instances in life,only time will tell whether the board realizes that by not allowing Shoaib to play,even if they achieve the target of striking fear in the minds of players not to rub the administrators the wrong way, they are simply taking the easy way out to solving a continuing obstacle.Instead of slapping someone across the face and asking them to shut up for the remainder of their lives wouldn't it be wiser to just sit down and think of a situation from which both the individual and the nation benefits?
Until someone figures that out,Shoaib Mohammed Akhtar will have to suffice his thirst for cricket playing club matches and dreaming about playing his 50th test match by the time he turns 50 himself.
question that comes to the mind is all said and done,what difference is Shoaib Aktar's absence going to make to cricket?The answer surprisingly is-not a lot.After stealing the hearts of millions of female fans throughout the world and being the role model of an equal number of aspiring fast bowlers,Akhtar,from being one of the most feared bowlers has faded into memory as a gutsy player who played his childish but king sized heart out for his country time and again.Banning a person for a meagre reason such as speaking his mind on what he felt on being demoted in the contracts list and that too for 5 years which is only euphemism at it's best for at 32,it is practically curtains to the career of a fine competitor.As in many instances in life,only time will tell whether the board realizes that by not allowing Shoaib to play,even if they achieve the target of striking fear in the minds of players not to rub the administrators the wrong way, they are simply taking the easy way out to solving a continuing obstacle.Instead of slapping someone across the face and asking them to shut up for the remainder of their lives wouldn't it be wiser to just sit down and think of a situation from which both the individual and the nation benefits?Until someone figures that out,Shoaib Mohammed Akhtar will have to suffice his thirst for cricket playing club matches and dreaming about playing his 50th test match by the time he turns 50 himself.
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