‘How do I look Mr Flintoff?’- Shoaib Akhtar recalls his epic reply to Andrew Flintoff’s ‘looks like Tarzan’ comments

England Test team landed in Pakistan after a gap of 17 years on Sunday. Both teams will be taking part in a historic three-match Test series that starts on December 1 in Rawalpindi. The last time, these two teams met in Pakistan it was under the captaincy of Michael Vaughan.

England had won the series by 2-0 but former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar had given a good scare to the England team with his 17 wickets across three games. As the first Test nears, Akhtar has recollected the memories of his heated exchange with English all-rounder Andrew Flintoff. The altercation took place after Flintoff had famously called Akhtar that he “looked like Tarzan but bowled like Jane.”

Recalling the statement, Akhtar, in a conversation with The Guardian said, “I was on the edge of my sofa wondering whether I was going to be selected for the series or not. Once I was, then my main motivation was Freddie Flintoff.” During the Test series, Akhtar got Flintoff out on three occasions and gave a symbolic as well as a verbal response to ‘Jane’ comments.

“I got Freddie on my radar and I just started bowling bouncers. He was uncomfortable, I got him out and said to him: ‘How do I look Mr Flintoff, like Tarzan or Jane?’” said Akhtar.

“He said: ‘Forgive me Shoaib. You are two different people in a span of three weeks. You were unfit and down in the mouth and now you are totally different. What happened?’ I said: ‘A lot of painkillers and even more heart.’” Akhtar further recalled.

The former Pakistan bowler played 46 Test matches for the national team and took 178 wickets. He also played 163 ODIs in which he took an additional 247 wickets. Notably, his 161 kmph delivery against New Zealand in 2002 still remains the fastest ball recorded in international cricket.