'Was Born A Cripple, Miracle Happened At...': Akhtar's Stunning Revelation

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has made a massive revelation about his childhood. He said that he was born a cripple and was unable to walk till the age of 8. However, Akhtar added that the next year saw a huge transformation in him as he could not only walk comfortably but also started running. It is worth noting that the ex-Pakistan speedster still holds the record of bowling the fastest delivery in cricket history. He had bowled 161.3 km/h (100.2 mph) during Pakistan's 2003 Cricket World Cup match in Cape Town.

While recalling his childhood, Akhtar also revealed that the prophecy of his birth and bright future was already done by a saint, who had informed his mother about it. He added that it all led his mother getting worried.

"A saint used to come to our house. So, he said, 'One guy will come, who will gain fame and recognition all over the world. And my mother was worried. She asked, 'Who will be that guy? Who will it be? What will he do?'" Akhtar said on Netflix series - The Greatest Rivalry: India vs Pakistan.

"She told me when I was born, I was crippled. I could not walk. But you know a miracle happened at the age of 9, and I started running. I was running as quick as light," he added.

Akhtar went on to play 46 Tests, 163 ODIs and 15 T20Is, picking 178, 247 and 19 wickets repectively.

Around a month ago, Akhtar had advised India's ace fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah to increase his pace in Test cricket. He added that the Indian bowler should also quit the format and focus on whilte-ball cricket.

"You know, in Test cricket, you have to bowl longer spells. The batters don't try to attack you, so length becomes irrelevant. You struggle if the ball doesn't seam then. When you start struggling, the team will start questioning. I think he is a good enough fast bowler to take wickets in Test cricket," Akhtar said on TNKS Podcast.

"Although he didn't do much in the Test series against New Zealand, it happens. But if he wants to continue playing Test cricket, he has to increase pace. With the injection of increasing pace, he has a high risk of getting injured. If I was Jasprit Bumrah, I'd stick to shorter formats. It only depends on how I feel," he added.