Cricket is the second most? popular sport in the world after football. The game is valued for its teamwork and memorable partnerships on the?? field. But one of the key unspoken associations is between the cricketers and their fans, who come to the stadium with the hope of watching their heroes outclass the opponents.

Former Pakistan cricketer Younis Khan revealed one such incident when aficionados wanted him to throw away his wicket to see their apple of the eye former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi bat.

Adumbrating the event’s details, Younis stated that he was probably batting on 150, and his teammate Mohammad Yousuf had piled around 170 runs from the other end. Both the veteran batters were heading towards their double tons when Pakistan supporters started a clamour to send either of the batters back to the p?avilion.

“Mohammad Yousuf was batting on 170, and I was probably on 150. And we were playing against India. Suddenly people start shouting ‘please get Younis Khan out, please dismiss Mohammad Yousuf,'” Younis said as quoted by Hindustan Times.

Amazed at first, Pakistan’s incumbent batting coach couldn’t decipher the reason behind such a shocking move. It was only when his partner Yousuf lost his wicket that the former comprehended the crowd wanting their explosive batter Afridi on the crease.

“I was amazed that I was about to get to 200 and we are playing against India in Pakistan but people are chanting. They basically wanted Shahid Afridi in the crease,” the Mardan-born recollected.

Concluding the interview, Younis shared that Afridi he?aped a string of boundaries and sixes as soon as he arrived on the crease, which enthralled the spectators. But the onlookers left the ground as soon their hero departed, leaving Younis no admirers while nearing his double century.

“Shahid Afridi came to the crease. Hit a few sixes here and there and got out. Amazingly, the crowd left with him. They got value for their money. But here I was nearing a double hundred in front of an empty stand,” Younis remarked.

Though the 43-year old didn’t divulge many details of the game, it is widely speculated that the encounter he was referring to was played against India way back in 2006 since it was the only Test match where both Yousuf and Younis stroked a masterclass century against their neighbours.

The rain-marred game continued for fiv?e days and ended in a draw as India lost just one wicke??t in their first innings.

For latest cricket news & updates, visit betvisa68.com.

The second Test match of India’s 2006 tour to Pakistan, held at Faisalabad, is memorable for MS Dhoni, who br??ought up his maiden Test ton, during his flamboyant knock of 148.

The pitch offered at the Iqbal Stadium turned out to be? an absolute belter. As many as six different batsmen, inclu??ding Dhoni, brought up their ton on the flat deck.

F?ormer Pakistan speedster, Shoaib Akhtar has now opened up about purposely throwing a beamer at Dhoni who was going great guns at 135.

“I remember when India had come to Pakistan, my left fibula was broken, my landing leg. MS Dhoni had scored a century at Faisalabad. What sort of wickets they had prepared, you know,” Akhtar told Aakash Chopra on his YouTube channel.

During the interaction, the ‘Rawalpindi Express’ recalled how he played with a broken fibula, which was his landing feet.

“Every day they used to put big injections on my leg to make it numb and I kept on bowling. They asked me to play that last Test match as after that my leg would not support me. My fibula was almost hanging,” he said.

“I think I had bowled an 8-9 over spell in Faisalabad. It was a quick spell and Dhoni scored a hundred. I purposely bowled a beamer to Dhoni and then apologised to him,” the cricketer turned broadcaster recalled.

In the end, Akhtar suggested that it was the first time he? bowled a beamer at a batsman purposefully.

“It was the first time in my life I had bowled a beamer purposely. I shouldn’t have done it. I regretted it a lot. He was playing so well and the wickets were so slow. However fast I was bowling, he kept on hitting. I think I got frustrated,” Akhtar concluded.

With the first two matches of the three-match Test series drawn, Pakistan ca?me out victorious in the third Test match at Karachi. India, on the other hand, clinched the ODI series by 4-1.

For latest cricket news & updates, visit betvisa68.com.

Former Indian skipper Rahul D?ravid was renowned for his brains involved in making effective captaincy decisions.

Out of favour Indian batsman, Suresh Raina, who is amongst the best fielders produced by the country, took a brilliant catch at s?hort point during one of t?he ODI games, when India toured Pakistan back in 2006.

Now, Raina has spilled beans on the mastermind of Dravid, where the bowler, fielder and captain, all were involved in dismissing Pakistan? batsman Kamran Akm??al.

Irfan Pathan, who usually bowled tight lines insid?e the stumps, baited Akmal to smack a square drive by pushing the ball outside the off??-stump.

As planned by Dravid, the ball? raced off Akmal’s b??at, and Raina was quick to pounce on the opportunity.

“I remember the catch against Pakistan which I had taken at point. Rahul Dravid was our captain, Irfan Pathan was the bowler and Kamran Akmal was batting. There was a rule at that time to keep catching fielde?rs in the 15 yards. So Rahul bhai asked me will you stand at point? I said ‘yes please tell me where to stand� He said lean forward and be ready to take a catch,�Raina told Kapil Dev in an interview for ABP News.

The reason why the ploy wa??s special for Raina was that he went on to receive the catch on the very next delivery bowled by Pathan,?? as soon as Dravid planned it.

“The moment Irfan delivered the next ball, Akmal smashed it har??d, I just saw the ball and it came straight into my hands. The thing that impressed me most was that Rahul bhai knew it that a catch might come there and it came in the next delivery,�he said.

“The reason why I remember that catch is that captain, bowler, fielder everybody was involved. ?And it is a job of the fielder to always be ready for a catch,�Raina c??????????????????????????oncluded.

Captained ???by Dravid, the Indian team won the ODI series against Pakistan by a handsome margin of 4-1.

For latest cricket news & updates, visit betvisa68.com.

During the mid-2000s, Irfan Pathan with the new ball turned out to be quite a phenomenon. Since making his debut against Australia in the 2003 VB Series, Pathan seldom hadn’t picked up a wicket with the new ball, troubling batsmen with his seam and swing movements.

Perhaps, his best spell in Test cricket came against Pakistan during India’s 2006 tour, where he picked up a hat-trick in the first three balls of the Karachi Test match.

The first two games of the three-match Test series ended up in a draw. India?? won the toss and elected to bowl first in the third Test.

Pathan’s first victim was Salman Butt, who poked at an outgoing delivery, giving a simple catch to Rahul Dravid at slips.

Then, Younis Khan was caught in front of the stumps failing to defend an incoming delivery. Pathan, on a hattrick, had Mohammad Yousuf’s wicket in sight, to create history.

During a recent interaction, Pathan opened up about the conversation Yousuf had with his father ahead of the tour. Yousuf asked Pathan’s father to pray that he doesn’t get out of Irfan’s bowling.

“Mohammad Yousuf caught up with my father before the tour. My father is daring, respectful and joyful, loves having chat with everyone. Yousuf said to my father ‘You pray that even if I get out, I don’t get dismissed by your son’,” Pathan told Sports Tak.

However, Pathan was destined to pick the wicket of Yousuf. And, that too off the very first delivery bowled at?? him in the match.

“And coming to Karachi Test, I was on hattrick ball and Mohamamd Yousuf was on strike. I felt that was the perfect chance to get him out. Luckily, my plan successfully worked and I got his wicket,” recalled Pathan.

Irfan represented India in 29 Tests, 120 ODIs and 24 T20Is, in which he picked up 301 international wickets. He was also part of India’s t??riumphant 200??7 T20 World Cup in South Africa.

The Gujarat cricketer last represented India back in October 2012 and re??tired from all forms of the game earlier in January this year.

For latest cricket news & updates, visit betvisa68.com.