ICC has 'successfully finished' cricket in last 10 years: Shoaib Akhtar

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has “successfully finished” cricket in the last decade and brought the gentlemen’s game down to its knees, former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar said while launching a scathing attack on cricket’s global body.

Akhtar expressed his anguish at batting-friendly conditions in the limited-overs format, which has heavily favoured the batters of late.  

"Can I tell you something bluntly? They (ICC) are finishing the cricket. I am openly saying that in last 10 years, ICC has successfully finished cricket, and I would say job well-done guys. Jo socha thaa apne woh kiya (You did what you intended to)," Akhtar told Manjrekar in a chat for ESPNCricinfo.

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Akhtar is also of the view that the number of bouncers per over should be increased with two new balls and only four fielders outside the 30-yard circle for the better part of an ODI match as he rued contests like Sachin Tendulkar vs Shoaib Akhtar has been missing from cricket for a long time.

"I have been saying repeatedly that change bouncer rule (one per over). You have two new balls and four fielders outside. Please ask ICC whether, in the last 10 years, quality of cricket has gone up or gone down. Where are those Sachin versus Shoaib contests?"

On Tendulkar, Akhtar said he never got aggressive against the Master Blaster as they shared immense respect. 

"But yes, I would try to outthink him. Like in the 2006 tour of Pakistan, I knew he had tennis elbow problems and he can't hook or pull me, so I bowled a barrage of bouncers to keep him quiet," Akhtar said.

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Akthar further said that he should be working in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in a bid to produce tearaway fast bowlers for the country. 

"People like me should have been in PCB and I would have produced fast bowlers. Fast bowlers should be like leopards which would hunt down its prey.

"I would have produced 12 fast bowlers and prepared them on every aspect, technique, mannerism, studies, diet, what to do with the body.

"I would have built a complete brand. You don't get fast bowlers from people who are by nature ghulaam (subservient)."