Rivalry Week: Hayden v Shoaib

The rivalry

A hot-and-cold relationship between two of the more combative players of their generation began in Brisbane at the turn of the 21st century and played out on cricket grounds in - among other places - Kenya, the UAE, the Netherlands and the United States. But having clashed on multiple occasions during their playing days, the relationship between Hayden and Shoaib has definitely thawed in retirement; a selfie with Shoaib posted on social media by Hayden in 2014, during a fiery Test series between Australia and India, was accompanied by the caption "if Shoaib and I can make #peace, surely you guys can too". And the warmth between the pair turned up a notch during the 2016 American All Stars series - even though Akhtar dismissed the Australian one final time.

The numbers

Matches played: 11 (five Tests, six ODIs)
Times Shoaib dismissed Hayden: Four
Runs scored by Hayden: 633 (two centuries, two fifties)

When Hayden beat Shoaib

The on-field animosity between the pair arguably peaked not during a Test or one-day international, but in the sleepy surrounds of Allan Border Field for Pakistan's 1999 tour match against Queensland. Shoaib peppered Hayden with a fierce opening spell that resulted in many body blows and at one point - comically - he put his thumb to his nose, waggled his fingers and poked his tongue out as he ran in to bowl. But Hayden, who had played seven Tests to that point in his career, defied the attack and pushed on to a crucial score of 128 as the Bulls recorded an impressive victory. But Hayden's dismissal, adjudged leg before wicket to a Shoaib slower ball that seemed to pitch outside leg stump, meant the Pakistani got the last laugh - and the resultant send off from the bowler did little to ease the tension between the pair.

When Shoaib beat Hayden

Australia's 2004-05 Test series against Pakistan was one of Hayden's least productive campaigns at home, which was due in no small part to Shoaib. The Australian got off to the worst possible start when the Rawalpindi Express trapped him dead in front in the third over of the series with a beautiful in-swinger, with the umpire's raised finger eliciting an exuberant celebration and a double-handed point to the pavilion from Shoaib. And the Pakistani completed the double in the second innings when Hayden left another hooping in-swinger that clattered into his stumps. Shoaib made it three for three when Hayden shovelled a simple catch to point in the first innings of the second Test and while Hayden didn't fall victim to his rival again, he managed just 128 runs for the series.

What they said

"It was Matthew Hayden I wanted to hit badly during my playing days and I did that many times during Test and practice games. And now we are best mates." - a 2017 tweet from Shoaib summing up his love-hate relationship with Hayden