Monday 17 October 2011

SHAHID AFRIDE


               

Afridi honestly earned every ounce of our respect after he steered the Pakistan cricket team to propel them into the semi-final of the World Cup with India. Much to our distaste, he did not seize the prospect to down the arch-rivals and bring the trophy home but came back home standing tall and proud for his achievements and gave us something to cheer about.
However, as charismatic as Afridi is, he has not matured over his fourteen-years-long career into the cricketer most people would like him to be – he is as reckless and uncontrolled as the fire cracker he was when he was sixteen. One would think that it was about time he grew up.
Afridi has been a loyal and sincere player throughout his career but has always been a victim of severe criticism from his seniors. Wasim Akram, under whom Afridi began his flourishing line of business, always said that he could never comply with strategies. He would complain that every time Afridi was sent out to bat, he would tell him to take his time on the pitch, follow the game plan and then try to score runs – but Afridi never listened. He would lash out at every ball, in the hope of making contact and in most cases threw his wicket away in the process.
Afridi announced his retirement from international cricket claiming that he would not play for Pakistan under the current Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) setup and hinted at the present dissection of the sport due to a Punjab lobby being established against the Karachi players. Whether true or not, I wish Afridi would come forward and enlighten his followers about the matter instead of vexing their loyalties by making slapdash comments to the media.
I would have expected Afridi to put all the politics aside and emerge as the bigger person under the gruesome state of affairs. I thought there was a true leader in him just as there was in Imran Khan and Wasim Akram. I hoped that he would continue to storm the nation with his feats after being mentored by Wasim just as Wasim had done when Imran guided him. I imagined Afridi to retire like Shoaib Akhtar, with tears of love for the game in his eyes, and not the detestation that he portrayed.
Still, for people like Afridi, our public is programmed to conveniently forget all those dreadful expositions he enacted on and off the field and instead cherish the few good memories he has given us. On behalf of his stanch cohorts, I urge Afridi to reconsider his statements, put his ego aside and serve the team regardless of his discrepancies with the PCB. This is too sour a note for a talent like him to withdraw


No one does it like Afridi


I have followed Shahid Afridi’s performance for Hampshire in the Friends Life T20 Cup in England, and it seems like he has led the team to some impressive victories. First, a 5 wicket haul to destroy Gloucestershire and then a belligerent 29 off 17 and 3-10 to roll over Sussex and lead Hampshire to the top of the table. I don’t see why anyone would be surprised considering the number of match winning performances Afridi has come up with, in Pakistan colours. There are a number of people who have doubted Afridi’s abilities at the international level – many who never thought he was capable ...
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Octomber 17, 2011
  • Media Watchdog
 Nadir Hassan
TOPICS
  • military
  • shahid afridi
  • Army
  • PML-N
  • Afridi

I read so you don’t have to: Afridi week


Pakistan’s love affair with Shahid Afridi is a curious thing. He is a charismatic underperformer but we choose to concentrate on the former and ignore the latter. In a week otherwise dominated, as all weeks are, by bombings, the Taliban, the CIA and the ISI, there was no greater spat than the one between Afridi and PCB chairman Ijaz Butt. It reminded us once again that we love Afridi because he makes us smile and he makes us laugh, a feature common to all the best pieces of the week. The worst pieces of the week make it to the ...
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  Octomber 4, 2011
  • Match Point
 Bilal Memon
TOPICS
  • cricket
  • shahid afridi
  • PCB
  • Afridi
  • test

A clash of mighty egos


It is hard to accept but celebrated all-rounder Shahid Afridi has decided to put a full-stop to an illustrious career – at least for the time being. The 31-year-old, followed by millions across the globe, said his decision was prompted by the “humiliation” meted out to him by the Pakistan Cricket Board. So what’s new? We have a habit of not honouring our national heroes. And Afridi, maybe you’re not such a hero after all. Irresponsible, immature attitude exhibited off and on during the 15-year career led to your downfall, and still you haven’t learnt. Throwing away your wicket when ...
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Octomber 4, 2011
  • Match Point

 Ahmad Fuad
TOPICS
  • pakistan
  • cricket
  • team
  • shahid afridi
  • Afridi

Afridi’s dilemma: Play to your strength


Shahid Afridi has been representing Pakistan for the last 15 years but he is still unsure about his role in the team. Afridi joined the Pakistan cricket team as a leg spinner, when Mushtaq Ahmed was injured and the former was asked to join immediately to replace him. At that time, Afridi was one of the highest wicket-taking bowlers at the under-19 level. As a result, he was considered a reliable spin bowler but no special attention was given to his batting. However, this changed soon, for Afridi, in his second One Day International (ODI) and his first international inning, ...
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  • The Big Picture
 Maheen Usmani
TOPICS

Will the real Afridi please stand up?


* Anas Abbas contributed to this blog post. “I think I am a cricketer first and then a diplomat. I am an ambassador for Pakistan, so I should know what to say. I think it’s a great sign for both countries and sports, especially cricket always brings these two countries together.” So spoke Shahid Khan Afridi on the eve of the World Cup semi final against India. Mere days after winning the hearts of numerous Indian fans with his generous remarks after the semi final loss, Afridi struck out wildly when he went on record to lambast Indians on a TV talk show. “If I have ...

 Said Chaudhry
TOPICS


India’s ‘small hearts’ and Afridi’s big mouth


I’ve never been Afridi’s biggest fan. But his recent form with the ball, and his leadership in the World Cup changed my mind…well, sort of. I have always found him to be mercurial. From scoring a hundred in 30-40 balls to getting out after playing the most atrocious shot in the books, Afridi has even bitten into a cricket ball. A day after his return to Pakistan, he held a brief press conference on his front porch. Lala fired back to a question asked by one of the reporters regarding Pakistan’s defeat against India. He questioned why Pakistanis look towards India with ...
  • The Big Picture
 Juveria Mozaffar
TOPICS

You think cricket isn’t sexy?


My lack of exposure to “American” sports while growing up is never more apparent than when I’m at work. I’m surrounded by hardcore football, baseball, and basketball fans. Now, to be clear, I’m a sports fan.  I no longer call it “American football”, and have had my heart broken by the Bears offensive line time and time again.  I’ve cheered on the Bulls since I was a kid (D Rose for MVP!), but my sports of choice have always been soccer and cricket. So, while my colleagues are all about their brackets for March Madness, I’m streaming the cricket World Cup on my ...


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