{
  "id": 912983,
  "title": "'What if': Shoaib Akhtar expresses big 'Imran Khan' regret, reflects on career",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/14/what-if-shoaib-akhtar-expresses-big-imran-khan-regret-reflects-on",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-14T22:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/shoaib-akhtar-expresses-big-imran-223000280.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar expressed regret regarding his career trajectory had he played under Imran Khan's leadership. The 51-year-old took 178 wickets in 46 Tests and 247 in 163 ODIs during his international career, which concluded during the 2011 World Cup. Speaking on Geo TV, Shoaib stated that playing under Imran Khan could have helped him reach the milestone of 400 Test wickets. Born in Rawalpindi, Shoaib made his Test debut against the West Indies there, but initially, Pakistan captain Wasim Akram was hesitant to give the young fast bowler his place in the team. The relationship between Akram and Shoaib was complex throughout their careers, marked by moments of both admiration and disagreement. Despite this, they both contributed to notable performances, such as Pakistan's second-place finish in the 1999 World Cup against Australia. Reflecting on his physically demanding career, Shoaib revealed the rigorous routine he followed to maintain his fitness and recover from injuries, including waking up three hours before anyone else, cycling, and attending the gym before addressing knee issues with medication and ice.",
  "summary": "Shoaib took 178 wickets in 46 Tests during his international career, which ended during the 2011 World Cup in India amid reported differences with then Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi. He also took 247 wickets in 163 ODIs and 21 wickets in 15 T20Is.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Times of India",
        "title": "'Difficult for Pakistan to handle': Shoaib Akhtar warns Babar Azam-led side",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/difficult-for-pakistan-to-handle-shoaib-akhtar-warns-babar-azam-led",
        "published": "2026-08-12T04:42:41.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}