5 batsmen who broke their stereotypes to excel

#3 Shahid Afridi

Shahid Afridi has frustrated Pakistani supporters for years with his belligerent, but often brainless style. The gung-ho all-rounder arguably possesses more hero-to-zero potential than anyone to ever play the sport. Yet, despite his volatile nature, Pakistan’s 2009 World Twenty20 triumph couldn’t have been achieved without Afridi, who displayed all of his talismanic qualities.

Having struggled woefully with the bat for an extended period, eyebrows were raised when Afridi was promoted to number three in Pakistan’s semi-final contest against South Africa at Trent Bridge. A fervent pro-Pakistani crowd would have expected fireworks, but instead they were delighted with a measured and ultimately vital knock.

On a pitch that offered the spinners purchase, Afridi knuckled down, smacking hittable deliveries around while otherwise biding his time. After taking nine overs to settle in, he drove Pakistan forward with a wise dismantling of Johan Botha. Afridi top-scored with 51 from 34 balls to carry his team to 149, before pushing them to a seven-run victory with two wickets in four overs that yielded just 16 runs.