Shoaib Akhtar: Almost all Pak pacers tampered ball

Controversial Pakistani speedster Shoaib Akhtar has created a excitement by openly admitting that he, along with all his contemporaries in the team, have regularly indulged in ball-tampering.

Pakistan fast bowlers over generations have always been under scanner for ball-tampering whenever they have got the ball to swing more than usual but Akhtar is the first to admit that he indulged in the malpractice, which is banned in international cricket.

Rawalpadi Express said that almost all Pakistani fast bowlers have tampered with the ball. He may be the first one to openly admit to it but everybody is doing it. The rebel fast bowler has revealed in his just-published in his autobiography ‘Controversially Yours’.

Shoaib added to be honest, every team in the world tampers with the ball. They probably started it but today ‘koi team doodh ki dhooli nahin hain’. No team is innocent and virtually every fast bowler does it. That is the only way to survive because the wickets are so slow.

The former Pakistan pacer Akhtar was twice suspended by International Cricket Council (ICC) for ball tampering during his career. He defends himself for indulging in this illegal cricketing activity. After years of not allowing bouncers, in 2001, the ICC ruled that only one would be allowed per over. The pitches are dead and slow and made to order for batting. It was the bowlers who are condensed and it is like giving match practice to people.

In his autobiography, Akhtar openly admitted that he has done ball tampering. It was in a three-nation tournament in Sri Lanka after 2003 World Cup, the bowler recalled an incident in Dambulla while playing against New Zealand.

Akhtar wrote that he remembers it being very hot and humid in Dambulla and as is customary with the pitches of the sub-continent, it was an awfully slow track. They were playing New Zealand and they needed results badly. Out of desperation, he began fussing with the ball. And yes he know it's against the rules and not something to be proud of lastly Akhtar apologized for it.