Pakistan's menacing fast bowler, Rawalpindi Express, Shoaib Akhtar says he "wants his team to win" cricket World Cup's semi-final match against arch rivals India. "Never mind if I play or not, what matters is victory. We have great chances to win," Akhtar told Indian news network TNN on Monday in reply to a question.
Are you retiring after the World Cup? Yes, I am. And it's not a decision that I took in haste. I thought about it a lot and finally decided to bid adieu to my love. Will you reconsider? No way. I've made up my mind and I am not a person who keeps changing his stance. Are you retiring because you are not included in playing eleven, or New Zealand's Ross Taylor punished your deliveries recently? It's nothing like that. There have been many instances where I've proved to be expensive. But this is my personal decision, sans any pressure. Considering that you have handled ups and downs with ease, isn't this sudden? Nothing is sudden. Only
I know what's in my mind. Yes, I have seen ups and downs but that's a part of life. I think it's right time for me to pursue my other interests. Greats like Imran Khan have been saying you should be given a chance to bowl? That's nice to hear. See, whenever I go in the field I give more than 100%. But at times you can't get what you think. In my entire career I have served the nation with dedication. That's all I have to say.