Subscribe:
Showing posts with label Shahid Khan Afridi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shahid Khan Afridi. Show all posts

Afridi Announces Early Retirement









Flamboyant Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Afridi announced an early retirement from international cricket, in protest against his removal from the captaincy of the national one-day team.
"The people have given me lot of respect and love and I don't want to waste that working with this board who don't know how to respect players," an angry Afridi said.
In a scathing attack on the Pakistan Cricket Board, Afridi described the current set of administrators as a disgrace to Pakistan cricket.
Afridi who announced his retirement from all international cricket as a protest against the board for removing him as captain of the national one-day team told Geo News channel that nothing was greater to him than his self-respect.
The experienced all-rounder said until the present board under the chairmanship of Ijaz Butt was in place he would not play international cricket.
"I will continue to play domestic and league cricket but not international cricket but it is not worth my while under this board which gave me no reason nor did it bother to hear me out before sacking me as captain," he said.
"I don't want to work with such disgraceful people. I don't know on what grounds they sacked me as captain. I worked hard on building up a broken team and turned it into a fighting combination. We played in the World Cup semifinal and yet they sacked me without hearing me out."
Afridi also claimed that there was a group of people belonging to the Punjab province in Lahore who had always been against him.
This group has always kept on working against me. They are the ones who keep on filling the chairman's ears against me. Maybe they don't want me to play because I get in the way of their plans.
Afridi also claimed that as captain he was never consulted in selection of teams nor was he sure about his captaincy before a series until the last moment.
This board never gave me a feeling of assurance that I would be captain. I would not know before a series until the last few days whether I was going to be captain and I can't continue to play under these circumstances.
Afridi also made it clear that he had spoken to some of his elders and seniors before taking his retirement decision and they supported him.
"I want to make it clear that till this board is there I will not play international cricket. When it goes and if people want me to play on I will consider a comeback," he added.
The retirement announcement came just a few days after the board chairman, Ijaz Butt had in a surprising move sacked the all-rounder as captain of the national limited overs team although Afridi had led the team to the World Cup semifinals and to a 3-2 win over the West Indies in the Caribbean.
It was after returning from the West Indies that Afridi ruffled the board feathers when he told the media that he didn't like people interfering in his work an obvious reference to an ongoing row with head coach, Waqar Younis over selection issues.
After issuing him a notice for speaking to the media on team issues in contravention of the players code of conduct the board while announcing the squad for the one-day series against Ireland replaced Afridi as captain with Test captain, Misbah-ul-Haq who on Monday led Pakistan to a 2-0 win over Ireland.
Afridi after the sack also pulled out of the series against Ireland telling the board that he wanted to stay with his father who was under treatment in the United States.
Afridi defended his statement saying he had only spoken the truth and nothing else.
"I didn't speak against anyone nor did I criticize anyone by name. What I said was for betterment of team. But if they don't want me to speak the truth than I can't accept working with such people," he said.
"I didn't want any problems what I said was keeping in the benefits of the team. I can't continue to play under a board that does not respect senior players," he added.
Afridi had last year already retired from Test cricket after losing the first Test to Australia at Lords.
Afridi after his sacking also pulled out of the series against Ireland telling the board that he wanted to stay with his father who was under treatment in the United States.
But the all-rounder reached England from the US and on Monday made his retirement announcement from London.
Afridi who played 325 ODIs and 27 Tests told the channel that whatever he had said on returning home was in the better interests of the team.

Afridi Available For ODIs Against Ireland


Pakistan's one-day cricket captain Shahid Afridi has said he is available for the two ODIs against Ireland later this month. 
Afridi's announcement comes at a time when the Pakistan Cricket Board has issued him a notice for giving statements on the team management after returning from the West Indies.
Afridi also played down reports that he had a serious rift with head coach Waqar Younis over selection matters.
The PCB has indicated that it might send the same team that is playing the Test series in the West Indies to play the series against Ireland on the way back home from the Caribbean.
But Afridi said he was keen to play against Ireland and would also be in England at the same time playing for Hampshire.
The all-rounder will play for Hampshire for their Twenty20 campaign where he will join South Africa spinner Imran Tahir.
Afridi, however, said it would be up to the PCB to decide on his fate for the series.
"In my reply I cleared that I had no intentions to target any individual or violate the code of conduct," he said. "I've tried to convince the PCB that it was a general comment which I often give in the interest of the team. I'd be happy to play but it's up to the board to decide on my selection."
However, the PCB has not yet made any decision over his inclusion.
"We're awaiting manager Intikhab Alam's report on the West Indies tour to make a decision on the matter," confirmed a PCB official.
After playing against Ireland, Pakistan's next assignment is a tour to the Zimbabwe in August.
But before that, the PCB has permitted number of players including Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal to sign up for teams in the inaugural Sri Lankan premier league competition scheduled in June-July.
"I have always been fully committed to playing for my country and leading my country and I have no plans to step down from the role of captain. It is an honour to captain one's country and it's a boyhood dream that I do not want to give up," Afridi said.
"I've informed the Board that I will in the near future be going to the USA for personal reasons, subject to the necessary travel documents, but will be available for the matches against Ireland," he added.
Pakistan take on Ireland on May 28 and 30 following which Afridi will be representing Hampshire in the Friends Provident Twenty20 competition.


Earn upto Rs. 9,000 pm checking Emails. Join now!

Shahid Afridi registered his fifth five-wicket


Captain Shahid Afridi registered his fifth five-wicket







Captain Shahid Afridi registered his fifth five-wicket haul as Pakistan beat Canada by 46 runs in their World Cup clash at the Premadasa stadium in Colombo on Thursday.

Chasing 185, Canada had got off to a poor start losing their first three wickets with 44 runs on the board in 17.1 overs.

Umar Gul gave Pakistan the first breakthrough when he trapped Ruvindu Gunasekera plumb in front of the wicket and in the next over, Nitish Kumar edged a Abdul Razzaq delivery onto his stumps.

Afridi then trapped his Canadian counterpart Ashish Bagai plumb in front of the wicket for the third breakthrough. Afridi went for the review immediately after umpire Daryl Harper adjudged Bagai not out and got the decision in Pakistan's favour.

With a 60-run partnership for the fourth wicket, Surkari and Jimmy Hansra had steadied Canada before the Pakistani spinners struck in quick succession.

Saeed Ajmal trapped Surkari plumb in front of the wicket and got it in his favour after going for a review.

Afridi then took four wickets in three overs to rock Canada. Afridi first clean bowled the big-hitting Rizwan Cheema with a googly.

In his next over, Afridi clean bowled Hansra and Harvir Baidwan to become the first bowler to take three consecutive four-wicket hauls in World Cup cricket.

In his next over, Afridi had Tyson Gordon caught by Wahab Riaz to register his fifth five-wicket haul.

Earlier, Canada produced a spirited bowling display to restrict former champions Pakistan to 184.

Pakistan found the disciplined Canada attack to hot to handle as, after opting to bat, they lost wickets at regular intervals to be finally bundled out inside the 200-run mark in 43 overs.

If not for the 73-run fifth wicket stand between Misbah-ul-Haq (37) and Umar Akmal (48), Pakistan could have folded up for a lesser total as they lost their last six wickets for just 44 runs.

India-born medium-pacer Harvir Baidwan was the pick of the Canada bowlers with figures of three for 35 runs while Jimmy Hansra (2/23), Rizwan Cheema (2/33) and Balaji Rao (2/50) snared two wickets apiece to spell Pakistan's doom.

Even though there were no demons in the pitch, Pakistan were off to a shaky start as the 1992 champions lost their first four batsmen for just 67 runs after electing to bat.

Opener Mohammad Hafeez started positively as he picked up Henry Osinde for special treatment in his first and innings second over, spanking the right-arm pacer for back-to-back boundaries.

But Osinde took his revenge in the first delivery of his next over, trapping Hafeez lbw but not before the batsman went for the review which went against him.

Baidwan struck the second blow for Canada in the ninth over, dismissing Ahmed Shehzad caught by Gordon at mid-on.

Baidwan then trapped Younis Khan lbw in the 13th over with a full length delivery that was tilting in towards middle and leg, prompting the batsman to go for another unsuccessful review.

And then two overs later, Kamran Akmal too departed caught at the backward point region by Nitish Kumar off Cheema to ensure a dream start for Canada.

But then came in ever-reliable Misbah and together with young Umar Akmal, he steadied the rocking Pakistani ship with the 73-run stand.

After the shocking start, the duo took their time to settle in as they mostly dealt with ones and twos with occasional boundaries in between during their 117-ball partnership.

But after all the hard work when it was time for Misbah and Umar Akmal to accelerate, leg-spinner Rao inflicted twin blows, dismissing both the set batsmen with the Pakistan scoreboard reading 165/6.

Rao first trapped Umar plumb in front of the wicket just two short of his half-century and then four overs later he accounted for Misbah, caught by captain Asish Bagai behind the stumps.

Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi (20) and all-rounder Abdul Razzaq failed to live upto their reputation with the former becoming Cheema's third victim.

The lower-order did very little to help Pakistan's cause as they lost their last four batsmen within a span of three runs.

Shahid Khan Afridi شاہد خان آفریدی

Shahid Khan Afridi شاہد خان آفریدی
Shahid afridi.jpg
Personal information
Full name Sahibzada Mohammad Shahid Khan Afridi
Born 1 March 1980 (age 30)(1980-03-01) Khyber Agency, FATA, Pakistan
Nickname Boom Boom Afridi, Lala
Height 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in)
Batting style Right-handed
Bowling style Right arm leg spin
Role All rounder
Domestic team information
Years Team
2009–present South Australia
2008 Deccan Chargers
2007–present Sind
2006 Ireland
2004 Kent
2003–04 Griqualand West
2003 Derbyshire
2001 Leicestershire
2001 Marylebone Cricket Club
1997–2008 Habib Bank Limited
1995–present Karachi
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI T20I
Matches 27 306 39
Runs scored 1,716 6,431 630
Batting average 37.40 23.81 18.80
100s/50s 5/8 6/30 0/3
Top score 156 124 54*
Balls bowled 3,194 13,110 894
Wickets 48 288 51
Bowling average 35.60 34.88 18.80
5 wickets in innings 1 3 0
10 wickets in match 0 n/a n/a
Best bowling 5/52 6/38 4/11
Catches/stumpings 10/– 101/– 11/–