Amidst increasing uncertainty regarding his international future, former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi remains steadfast in his belief of going out with a bang during a farewell match in the shortest format.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, the 36-year old alluded to the prevailing tradition of senior players not getting opportunities to retire gracefully from the game and appealed to PCB to consider his contributions to Pakistan cricket before deciding on his case.
Afridi claimed, “We don’t have a tradition of retiring players gracefully which makes it tough for them to decide when to call it a day since we all have a desire of exiting on a high. Players must exit respectfully since the ones who serve the country with distinction deserve honour.”
Since debuting in 1996 during an ODI against Kenya at Nairobi, Afridi's career has seen plenty of highs and lows. However, the all-rounder's 523 international caps across all formats places him at sixth among all cricketers to have played the game.
Keen to reiterate his experience, the veteran revealed, “I have had a discussion with Inzi Bhai (Chief Selector Inzamamul Haq) who is an elder to me and we will do what is beneficial to both Pakistan cricket and my own self.“
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After being overlooked for the upcoming T20Is against West Indies in UAE, reports emanated about his retirement from the international arena with a final appearance in the 3-match series. Though sources in PCB indicated that he could be added to the squad as the 16th member, the decision has not been finalized yet.
Calling for the board to phase out senior cricketers in an amicable manner, Afridi felt, “I have always maintained that cricket board is like the head of the family and rather than communicating through media, we need to have a close knit relationship with PCB officials.”
Despite initially looking to bid adieu in the aftermath of the World T20 in India earlier this year, Pakistan’s woeful performance in the tournament came in the way and dashed his plans of going out on a high.
The highest wicket-taker in T20 internationals noted, “I wanted to retire after the World T20 in India and unfortunately it didn’t pan out the way I or my fans had wished since we bowed out in the first round.“
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