Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar feels that in today's time fast bowlers do not bowl as fast as they used to in their time because the rules and rigor of the game do not give them that chance.
Akhtar was the first player who bowled at a speed of 100 meters per hour. He retired in 2011. He has 444 international wickets in all three formats of the game.
Akhtar said, 'Ten years ago, bowlers used to bowl at a speed of 155 kmph and now suddenly they started bowling at a speed of 135 km per hour. Now we have only a few genuine bowlers left. Earlier South Africa used to have six alone.
Speaking to the BBC, Akhtar said, "The rules of cricket do not allow you to throw fast: two new balls, too many restrictions, more cricket, more T20 leagues, more money, more TV rights."
Akhtar said, 'Players are getting smarter now and they are more focused on money. He wants to save his career and also play his feet for another 10 years. At the same time, I used to fight only for the series I am playing, I used to fight all day.
Akhtar said, 'The rules were much softer then. When he banned the bowlers from throwing two bouncers, I got angry. I thought how would you trap a batsman? Where will you bowl on the body line?
He said, 'Let me kill him and kill him in return. This is what you want to see in international cricket. I am tired of watching dull, clean cricket. For me breaking the 100 mph limit was not a big deal, it was just hyped by the media. I was not getting money to throw such a fast ball, to break my body.
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