The flamboyant Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi was severely scrutinised by the Pakistan Cricket Board after his team’s lacklustre performance in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2016. He was grilled by the board as his team crashed out of the tournament after being defeated by Australia in their last Super 10 game.
Earlier Afridi said he would no longer be the captain of Pakistan’s T20I side. Before their match against Australia, the all-rounder dropped a hint that it would also be his last match in international cricket if Pakistan loses the game. Eventually, Pakistan lost the game and there was speculation that Afridi might announce his retirement from international cricket but that did not take place.
Afridi relinquished the test captaincy way back in 2010 and he has also called it quits in the ODI format too. It was only the T20 format in which he kept playing for the men in green and now his place in the squad is in serious doubt after a dismal show at the mega event where Pakistan managed to win only a single game against Bangladesh.
“I will announce it in my country. Whatever is better for the country, I will go with that,” Afridi said at the post-match ceremony in Mohali when asked if he was going to retire. “I will see my form. There is pressure, media pressure. As a player, I am fit. As a captain, I am not fit,” he also added after his side was beaten by Australia.
Shahid Afridi made his international debut way back in 1996 in an ODi against Kenya at Nairobi. He is one of those few players now in international cricket now who made their debuts before 2000. Afridi, predominantly known as a big hitter of the cricket ball, also brought a new dimension to his game by sharpening his bowling skills. He is the highest wicket-taker in T20Is with 97 scalps.
Pakistan cricket is in a bit of decline
Pakistan coach Waqar Younis also will come under the scanner after his team’s horrible show at the T20 World Cup. Younis, however, lamented the decline of Pakistan cricket after his team’s 21 run loss to Australia. Australia at one stage were reeling at 57 for 3 and Pakistan let them off the hook with some indisciplined bowling.
The 2009 champions were knocked out in the group stage for the second consecutive time and it seems that the coach and the captain will have to face the wrath of the country’s cricket board.
Younis used to be a deadly fast bowler in his playing days asked for an urgent transformation of Pakistan cricket. He added, “Yes, I would say that Pakistan cricket is in a bit of a decline and we need to control it. We will have to look at our domestic cricket and infrastructure.”
Younis also squashed rumours of a rift inside the team and blamed poor cricket from Pakistan which he thought is the reason for all the negative talk about the side.
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