In 2004, the Indian cricket team toured Pakistan. Pakistan won the three-match Test series 1-0. The first and second Test matches ended in a draw. The second Test of the series was played at Faisalabad, where the bowlers were not getting any help from the pitch. Batting first, Pakistan scored 588 in response to India’s 603 in the first innings. There was a good partnership between Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Irrfan Pathan in this match. In describing the anecdote of the match, Irfan said how Pakistan’s fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar was harassed with Dhoni. Akhtar was so angry that he told Irfan Pathan to kidnap him. Irrfan Pathan narrated this anecdote on Vikram Sathay’s talk show.
Irfan Pathan said it was very difficult to throw a bouncer with that wicket, but Shoaib Akhtar was constantly bowling the ball. Sachin Tendulkar was Akhtar’s short delivery in the innings. India lost the fifth wicket in the form of Sachin for 281 runs. After this, Dhoni and Irfan played an innings together. Commenting on the anecdote, Irfan said, “We played in Faisalabad. We lost five or six wickets at 300 and Shoeb dismissed Sachin Pazi in the bouncer.
He said, ‘I came for the batting, the first ball went close to the ear, I got the skin smell. The second ball went through the other ear. I thought he would put it in front now, but then the bouncer, he somehow took the spell. When they came out to bowl in the second spell, the partnership between me and Dhoni was increasing. Dhoni said something had to be done. I told him to do one thing, I would say something to him and laugh out loud even if you weren’t kidding. Then I started, Shoaib Akhtar got very angry and it went on. An angry Shoaib said I would kidnap you, I told you to do the same, you can’t do that. ‘
