“160 kph Reality Check”: Matthew Hayden Recalls His First Face-Off With Shoaib Akhtar

Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden has revisited one of cricket’s most intimidating moments — his very first encounter with Shoaib Akhtar — and the memory still sounds as painful as it was fast.

Speaking during a recent podcast session, Hayden shared a clip that has since caught fans’ attention, detailing how Rawalpindi Express announced himself to Australian batters with sheer pace and attitude. According to Hayden, the moment dates back to the early 1990s at AB Oval, when Akhtar was still an unknown but already frighteningly quick prospect.

Hayden said he initially struggled to even pick Akhtar up at the bowling crease, joking that he had to “get the binoculars out” because the bowler seemed to disappear in his run-up. The relief of leaving the first delivery, however, was short-lived.

What followed was a sharply directed short ball that Hayden attempted to pull — only for it to crash into his chest. Hayden described the impact of the 160 km/h delivery as feeling like being hit point-blank by a shot put, underlining just how brutal Akhtar’s pace was at the time.

The exchange didn’t end there. Hayden recalled that Akhtar followed up with verbal fire, questioning Hayden’s credentials and taking a dig at his struggle to break into Australia’s Test side ahead of Mark Taylor. Hayden admitted that the comment only heightened the tension, calling it “game on” from that moment.

The story also offered a glimpse into the Australian dressing room reaction, with then-captain Wasim Akram (Waz) reportedly asking, “Who is this bloke?” — a line that perfectly captures how suddenly Akhtar had forced himself into the conversation.

The clip has resonated widely because it reflects what many batters across eras have said about Shoaib Akhtar: raw pace, aggression, and an ability to unsettle even the toughest opponents. For fans, Hayden’s recollection is another reminder of why Akhtar remains one of the most feared fast bowlers cricket has ever seen — and why facing him was never just about skill, but survival.