Shoaib’s autobiography launch cancelled yet again

The launch of Shoaib Akhtar’s controversial autobiography – Controversially Yours – has yet again been cancelled. This time the book was to be launched in Bangalore on Tuesday but was cancelled. This is for the second the launch was cancelled after the event had to be called off in Mumbai.
Reports coming from across the border stated that most of the former cricketers and celebrities who had been invited, opted not to attend the event.
Pakistan’s former fast bowler who retired from international cricket earlier this year, raised a storm last week when he was quoted as saying that Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid were bad finishers of the game and that Sachin was scared of his bowling. The comments were made during a promotional event for his book in New Delhi.
He was even stated to have said that Wasim Akram was behind ruining his career.
Shoaib, however, clarified that he made the statement because it was his observation of Sachin and Dravid and that his book had to be read fully to understand what he meant.
What followed, despite his clarification, was a verbal volley from not just former and present cricketers but also from political parties in Maharashtra as well. While Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party jostled to take the credit for cancelling the book-launch in Mumbai, the likes of Navjot Singh Sidhu and Wasim Akram chose to term Shoaib’s comments as a publicity stunt from a problematic cricketer. Sachin himself though has chosen not to reply to the statements.
For now however, it seems no city in India wants to host Shoaib Akhtar. But even in cancellations, ‘Controversially Yours’ continues to make headlines.
On Wasim Akram, Akhtar said it was not him but others in the team who did not want to play under him. “Though I respected Akram as a bowler, he was abusive and had bad attitude,” Akhtar added. Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram and Indian cricketer Nivjot Singh Sidhu has called Shoaib for buying cheap publicity and he 9Shoaib) remains a problem even after his retirement.
Akram earlier said that no one but the ‘Rawalpindi Express’ himself was responsible for the setbacks in his career. “I know, Shoaib knows and the entire world knows that he himself is responsible for destroying his career. Nobody helped him (in destroying his career).”
Akhtar also lashed out at PCB chairman Ijaz Butt, calling him a mad man. The pacer said “Ijaz Butt handled the match-fixing issue very badly, he just can’t think straight. He has made Pakistan cricket a joke.” Following criticism of Akhtar’s remarks, Butt expressed concern that cricket ties between both the boards could be strained. However, BCCI re-assured the PCB tat Akhtar’s jibe will not affect the renewal of Pakistan-India cricket ties.
Meanwhile, some BCCI officials are now demanding that Akhtar apologise to the players for his “offensive” comments. IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla was quoted by Times of India: “Has he forgotten how Tendulkar treated him during the Centurion World Cup match in 2003? He was whacked all over the park. He should apologise to both Tendulkar and Dravid for saying what he said in the book.
“A player like Tendulkar does not need a certificate from Shoaib. He has got that from Australian legend Don Bradman. Regarding Rahul Dravid, he has made centuries in all conditions and against all attacks.
Both don’t need to prove anything to Shoaib. Who is Akhtar to write all this?”
Shukla added: “He (Tendulkar) is still touching new heights and as far as Dravid is concerned, he is continuing to play some great knocks which underline his commitment to the team. He showed what he could do with the bat in England. Whatever Shoaib has written is distasteful,” Shukla added.
“It’s a gentleman’s sport and that is why AKhtar should seek an apology for his own dignity. It’s not in the BCCI’s jurisdiction to stop someone from writing a book. But what he wrote is not cricket,” he added.