What Happened When Shoaib Akhtar Physically Lifted & Dropped Tendulkar In 2007? Pak Pacer Recalls

Akhtar recalled how Sachin Tendulkar slipped when the Pakistan pacer attempted to lift him during an award function in 2007. What happened next will surprise you. Read below.

Sachin & Shoaib during a cricket event in New York | Image: AFP

Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar belongs to the diminishing group of players who have toured India several times to play a series. In a recent interview, Shoaib Akhtar recalled a funny incident that happened during the 2007 Pakistan tour of India. 

This was the last time Pakistan toured India for a Test/ODI series. Since then, the relations between the Indian and Pakistani governments haven't been extremely cordial. Pakistan was in India for a five-match ODI and three-match Test series. 

Akhtar recalled how Sachin Tendulkar slipped when the Pakistan pacer attempted to lift him during an award function in 2007.

What Was The Incident?

“As usual, I wanted to do something different. So I tried to lift Sachin Tendulkar, just for fun. I managed to lift him but then he slipped from my hands. Tendulkar fell down, not that bad, but I thought to myself that ‘I am dead’," Akhtar said on Sportskeeda’s YouTube channel.

I feared that if Sachin Tendulkar gets unfit or injured, I would never get an Indian Visa. The Indians would never allow me to come back to the country or would burn me alive,” he added. 

So What Happened When Sachin Slipped & Fell Down?

 “When he fell down I really thought I am done for life. I remember Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh were also there and they were telling me, ‘What are you doing man?’ And I responded by saying ‘I don’t really know, it just happened.," Akhtar said. 

"So then I went and hugged Tendulkar and asked him if he was okay. Thankfully, he said he was fine. Then I told him if anything would have happened, it could have caused big trouble to me, especially with the media and all the fans in India. Tendulkar later hammered us in the series. At that point, I wished he was unfit (jokingly)," Akhtar added.

Some Glimpses from 2007 series:

Sachin Tendulkar vs Shoaib Akhtar always have a gr8 battle since that famous Kolkata Test 1999. This battle continue untill both players retired. Fans always enjoy@shoaib100mph @sachin_rt pic.twitter.com/8nzwfCmb6h

— Zohaib (Cricket King) 🏏 (@Zohaib1981) August 31, 2021

India won both the ODI and Test series of 2007 against Pakistan. Such an incident is a rare occurrence today as India has stopped playing bilateral series with Pakistan since the 2008 Mumbai terror attack.