Sports Desk: Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar underwent a successful reconstruction knee surgery in Melbourne, Australia on Thursday. Akhtar posted a video on his twitter handle to give the update and he also vouched to recover soon.

“Alright! my operation has been done and it went off quite successfully and I’m recovering. I’m in pain but not in a lot of pain…Anyway, wish me the best…I will recover soon,” Akhtar said in the video.

Before the surgery, Akhtar had requested fans to pray for him as the decision to undergo a complicated surgery was a tough call to make. “I am going to Melbourne for my knee reconstruction. The doctors are saying that it will be a six to seven-hour surgery. I should not have to get implants at my age. I am only 44. I should have got this done after 60 but this is happening now.”

Akhtar said the decision to undergo the operation was taken after the pain increased.

“It has become necessary to go for its remedy now. I’ve left my family. I’ve left everyone and this is not a very happy feeling. But this is also important to get my knee sorted out,” Shoaib – who has over 1.5 million subscribers on his YouTube channel – had revealed earlier.

Akhtar, who is considered the world’s fastest bowler of all time and nicknamed ‘Rawalpindi Express’, retired from all forms of cricket in 2011. He is now analysing various cricketing events on his YouTube channel.

The 44-year-old played 46 Tests and 163 ODIs for Pakistan in which he scalped 178 and 247 wickets respectively. He also took 19 T20I wickets in 15 appearances.

Akhtar played his last international game, an ODI, against New Zealand in 2011, in which he bagged one wicket.