Controverisally Yours marks Shoaib Akhtar's journey from an economically deprived childhood, when his family couldn't evan afford new clothes for Eid, into an adolescence driven by his quest to break into the Pakistan team, to becoming the bowler that broke the 100mph barrier. He has described his life as a cricketer and beyond - the highs and lows of personal achievement and failure.

Shoaib believes controversies have hovered around him since the day he was born. Shoaib claims that Wasim Akram threatened to finish his career. He states: "Wasim Akram threatened to walk out with half the team if I was included in the team. General Tauqir Zia backed Shoaib against Wasim." According to Shoaib, Wasim was probably against blooding youngsters.

Shoaib Akhtar, who retired during the 2011 World Cup, reveals in his book, Controversially Yours, how he worked on the ball during the three-nation competition in Sri Lanka after the 2003 World Cup. "I remember it being very hot and humid in Dambulla and as is customary with the pitches of the subcontinent, it was an awfully slow track. We were playing against New Zealand we needed results. Out of desperation, I began fussing with the ball. Yes, for those of you who want to know, I did tamper with the ball during that match. And yes, I know it's against the rules and it's not something to be proud of - I apologized for it. I have tampered with the ball on many occasions, have been warned several times, and even been caught twice - Dambulla was one such instance."

According to Shoaib, almost all Pakistani fast bowlers have tampered with the ball over the years. "I may be the first one to openly admit to it, but everybody is doing it. I won't name him, but one Pakistani cricketer actually switched the ball in the umpire's pocket with one that reversed like crazy! Umpires usually keep the ball in their coat pocket and then hang their coat up for lunch. That was when the transfer occured. After this incident, they now leave their coats in a locked room."

Shoaib has accused Sachin Tendulkar of being scared of him and his scorching pace and narrates an incident that happened in Faisalabad where he believed Tendulkar chickened out. "I bowled a particularly fast ball which he, to my amazement, didn't even touch. He walked away! That was the first time I saw him walk away from me-that, too, on the slow track at Faisalabad. It got my hunting instincts up. In the next match, I hit him on the head, and he could not score after that."

Taking a dig at veteran Indian batsman, Rahul Dravid, Shoaib has said that The Wall and Master Blaster are not match-winners.

Shoaib has also alleged that he was cheated by Shah Rukh Khan and former IPL Chairman, Lalit Modi.

Javed Miandad too came under fire from Shoaib. "He never guided us, never cared for us. If Imran Khan comes today and takes the reins of Pakistan cricket in his hands even for two years, things will change dramatically."

The photographs are simply superb. An excellant production indeed!