5 best bowling run-ups of all time

#2 Shoaib Akhtar

During his prime, Akhtar was among the most feared bowlers in world cricket

Shoaib Akhtar’s career may have taken a nosedive after tremendous success in his early years but when at his best, he was perhaps the most dangerous fast bowler in the world. The Pakistani speedster rose in prominence after dismissing Indian stalwarts Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar bowled off successive deliveries in a Test at Kolkata in 1999.

The one thing that stood out about Akhtar’s bowling throughout his career was his extremely long and pacy run-up. The powerfully-built pacer used to start off just inches from the boundary rope and then charged to the bowling crease in a manner reminiscent of a freight train.

The sight of Shoaib Akhtar steaming in to bowl was enough to intimidate the batsmen and gave him a psychological edge over them. No wonder, Akhtar holds the record for the fastest ball ever bowled in a cricket match (161.3 kph).