Shoaib Akhtar Believes Indian PM Modi May Request Retired MS Dhoni To Play 2021 T20 World Cup

Going back into history and recalling an incident when former Pakistani skipper Imran Khan was asked by General Zia-ul-Haq to reconsider his retirement decision in 1987 leading to the dashing all-rounder playing for the national team till 1992, Akhtar said that Dhoni might make a comeback in the future on the request of the Prime Minister.

Photo: AFP

Days after India's iconic cricketer MS Dhoni called it a day from international cricket, former Pakistan tearaway speedster Shoaib Akhtar rekindled the believes of millions of die hard 'Mahi' fans by stating that the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, might request the former Indian World Cup winning skipper to feature in the postponed T20 World Cup next year. In an interview with YouTube channel BolWasim, Akhtar said that the decision of playing the 2021 T20 World Cup should be a player’s personal call. Going back into history and recalling a famous incident when former Pakistani skipper Imran Khan was asked by the nation's premier General Zia-ul-Haq to reconsider his retirement decision in 1987 leading to the dashing all-rounder playing for the national team till 1992, Akhtar said that Dhoni on similar lines might make a comeback in the future on the request of the Prime Minister. “You never know, the Prime Minister may call him and request him to play the T20 World Cup. That is also possible. Imran Khan was asked by General Zia-ul-Haq not to leave cricket after 1987, and he played,” he said. “You cannot say no to the Prime Minister.” Dhoni who put down the curtains on a 15-year stellar cricket career is the only skipper in the history of international cricket to win the much famed 'ICC Treble'. Under Dhoni's captaincy, India won the 2007 T20 World Cup, the 2010 and 2016 Asia Cups, the 2011 World Cup, and the 2013 Champions Trophy. India also went onto become the Number One team in Test cricket under the aegis of MS Dhoni. Akhtar lauded the immense contribution MS Dhoni made to Indian cricket and felt that his would never be forgotten for his service to the sport.He also felt that Dhoni could have played on till the 2021 T20 World Cup but added that it was finally upto him to take a call on his retirement. “I think he could have gone on to play the T20 World Cup. The way India supports its stars, the way they love them, and recognizes them, they would have played him in T20s. But it was his personal choice,” Akhtar said. “But again he has won everything, a person from Ranchi has rocked the whole of India, what else do you need. At the end of the day, the world should remember you. And a nation like India, they will never let you get forgotten.” Dhoni who started off as a hard hitting power hitter went onto become one of the greatest finishers with the willow for India in white ball cricket. He also etched his name as the greatest ever wicket-keeper batsman to play for India. Dhoni amassed over 17000 international runs in 350 ODIs, 90 Tests and 98 T20 Internationals for India.He also is the most successful wicket-keeper for India across all 3 formats of the game with 829 dismissals in his kitty.