England cricket players are in Pakistan prepping for the upcoming three-match Test series. The first Test is slated to be held on December 1 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi.
It remains to be seen which team uses their tools and ingredients to stamp their authority going forward into the Test series. Obviously, the team that takes the first lead in the series would have a mental edge over the other.
However, the Pakistan cricket team are well aware of the home conditions. The hosts know how the pitch actually behaves in the first place and based on that, they assess conditions and proceed with their work accordingly.
On the other side of the coin, England cricket team players aren’t really accustomed to the subcontinent pitches. However, it would take some time for them to get used to the conditions.
Shoaib Akhtar recalls hilarious sledging saga with Andrew Flintoff
Meanwhile, former Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has recalled the hilarious sledging episode featuring himself and England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff in a conversation with The Guardian, ahead of the first Test between Pakistan and England.
The Rawalpindi Express recalled a duel with Andrew Flintoff that happened in 2005 when England toured Pakistan to play three-match Test series followed by the five-match ODI series.
During that tour, Pakistan thoroughly enjoyed beating the visitors as they won the Test series by 2-0. Shoaib Akhtar bowled dream spells across three games wherein he accounted for 17 dismissals.
In the wake of the ICC Super Series in 2005 that happened just shortly before England’s tour of Pakistan, Andrew Flintoff hilariously said that Shoaib Akhtar looked like Tarzan but bowled like Jane.
After that, both the cricketers met each other in the Test series. Akhtar bowled lethal beamers to Flintoff and also dismissed him. After that, Akhtar told Flintoff about what he looked like (Tarzan or Jane). To which, Flintoff quickly apologised by saying “Forgive me Shoaib”.
“I got Freddie on my radar and I just started bowling bouncers. He was uncomfortable, I got him out and said to him: ‘How do I look Mr Flintoff, like Tarzan or Jane?’” said Akhtar.
“He said: ‘Forgive me Shoaib. You are two different people in a span of three weeks. You were unfit and down in the mouth and now you are totally different. What happened?’ I said: ‘A lot of painkillers and even more heart.’” Akhtar further recalled.
