Throwback: When Virender Sehwag threatened drunk Shoaib Akhtar

In March 2023, former India cricketer Virender Sehwag shared an incident involving Sachin Tendulkar and ex-Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar from their playing days. India and Pakistan are not involved in bilateral cricket against each other since 2013 due to political tensions between the two nations. Moreover, they are unlikely to resume soon following the recent escalated tensions across borders as well. However, there was a time during the first decade of the 21st century when the arch-rivals faced each other a lot.

Sehwag recalled the time when both India and Pakistan cricketers were in Lucknow. He revealed that Akhtar was drunk during a party and he tried to lift Tendulkar on his shoulders. However, he was unsuccessful in his attempt and both fell on the ground.

“In a party that was held for Indian and Pakistani cricketers in Lucknow, Akhtar had one too many drinks and he tried to lift Tendulkar. However, Tendulkar was quite heavy for him, and both of them ended up falling on the ground. I could not stop laughing at the incident,” Sehwag had said at News18 Chaupal.

Sehwag used to tease Akhtar about the incident

Sehwag also revealed that he used to tease Akhtar about the embarrassing incident stating his career could be over as his actions could’ve injured Sachin. “I used to tease him a lot. You are out, your career is over. You have dropped our top player. And he was scared, he kept following Sachin everywhere saying sorry and even fell down at his feet. Still, me and Sachin, whenever we sit together, we go back to the incident and laugh about it,” Sehwag added.

Earlier, Akhtar also recalled the incident while speaking to Sportskeeda and revealed how he was scared after Tendulkar fell down because of him. He also stated that Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh also witnessed the incident and even they left him scared.

“I managed to lift him but then he slipped from my hands. Tendulkar fell down, not that badly, but I thought to myself that 'I am dead'. I feared that if Sachin Tendulkar gets unfit or injured, I would never get an Indian Visa. The Indians would never allow me to come back to the country or would burn me alive.

“When he fell down I really thought I was done for life. I remember Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh were also there and they were telling me, 'what are you doing man?' And I responded saying 'I don't really know, it just happened’,” Akhtar said.

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