Shoaib Akhtar is widely recognized as one of the game’s most iconic figures. His distinct hairstyle and standout bowling action set him apart. Referred to as the “Rawalpindi Express,” Akhtar remains one of Pakistan’s most accomplished bowlers.
A video of Oman’s fast bowler, Muhammad Imran, went viral on social media on Wednesday, September 6. This caught attention because Imran bore a striking resemblance to Akhtar during his early days in international cricket.
The right-arm pacer showcased a hairstyle and bowling action highly reminiscent of Akhtar’s. A user posted a video on X (formerly referred to as Twitter) with the following caption:
“Oman’s Speedster Mohamed (Muhammad) Imran looks exactly like Shoaib Akhtar during his early days. Even the bowling action looks very similar. All the best for him.”
You can watch the video here:
Oman’s Speedster Mohamed Imran looks exactly like Shoaib Akthar in his early days. Even the bowling action looks very similar. All the best for him. @shoaib100mph https://t.co/wZ8nPQcFmV
— Nibraz Ramzan (@nibraz88cricket) September 6, 2023
According to data from cricclubs.com, Imran has participated in 26 domestic matches, where he secured 29 wickets. In contrast, Akhtar had an illustrious international career, featuring in 46 Test matches, 163 ODIs, and 15 T20Is, and he claimed a total of 444 wickets across these formats.
He was a key member of Pakistan’s victorious 2009 T20 World Cup team. Turning to Oman’s cricket performance, they fell short in their bid to qualify for the 2023 ODI World Cup in India, scheduled for October 5 to November 19.
“It’s not for the faint-hearted” – Shoaib Akhtar’s thoughts on the 2023 ODI World Cup’s India-Pakistan showdown
Shoaib Akhtar is eagerly looking forward to the intense clash between India and Pakistan in the 2023 ODI World Cup, set to take place at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium on October 14. In his discussion with RevSportz, Akhtar shared his thoughts on the match, saying:
“It is not for the faint-hearted. If you are brave enough, it is your platform. If you are a coward or if you are insecure, this match is not for you.”
He continued: “What will go in our favour is that the Indian media will put enormous pressure on the Indian team. For them, the Indian team can’t lose, and if they lose, God help them. This builds humungous pressure on India, and it means we are designated underdogs. Frankly, all the pressure is on India, and we have nothing to lose.”
On the other hand, India and Pakistan are scheduled to meet in the Super-4 round of the 2023 Asia Cup at Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium on Sunday, September 10.
Their most recent encounter occurred during the group stage of the Intercontinental tournament, led by Babar Azam, restricted Rohit Sharma’s team to 266 runs in a rain-affected match.
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