Afridi urges fans to appreciate Pakistan's win over Windies
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KARACHI: All-rounder Shahid Afridi Thursday urged Pakistan to savour their one-day and Twenty20 wins over the West Indies and forget allegations of fixing.
Pakistan beat the West Indies 3-1 in the five-match one-day series, and clinched both the Twenty20s on the tour which finished on Sunday.
But the wins were clouded by controversy after British newspaper The Mail on Sunday claimed the one-day matches could be investigated by the sport's international anti-corruption unit.
Asked about the claims, Afridi said: “I don't know about any allegations, but I would say 'Savour the win when you have done well and forget any other thing'.”
Team manager Naveed Cheema denied the allegations.
“These are baseless allegations and anyone can investigate,” said Cheema.
“The discipline of the players was exemplary and that showed on the results.”
Off-spinner Saeed Ajmal also urged people to give Pakistan credit.
“Sometimes they must appreciate us,” he said. “Why people take our wins lightly and allege strongly is unfathomable.”
Pakistani cricket has an unenviable history of corruption and fixing. Three international players served jail terms in England for arranging no-balls to order during the Lord's Test of 2010.
Afridi said Pakistan's wins were much-needed after a lacklustre tour of South Africa and a poor Champions Trophy performance earlier in the year.
Pakistan lost all three Tests and the one-day series 3-2 in South Africa.
They crashed out of the first round of the Trophy after losing all three group matches.
“This win was very much needed after what happened in South Africa and England and I am sure this will go a long way in improving the image of the team and the players,” said Afridi, who became the first batsman to hit 400 international sixes.
Pakistan next tour Zimbabwe in August where they play two T20s, three one-dayers and two Tests.
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Comments (24) Closed
Jul 31, 2013 05:59pm
This news reminds me of Savour Foods....good food
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Jul 31, 2013 06:03pm
Thank you afridi for your services, now please retire and go away. We need young blood in the team.
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Jul 31, 2013 06:15pm
A congratulation is definitely in order. We want to do exactly that, the problem is we don
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Jul 31, 2013 08:45pm
I agree with Afridi and Ajmal. Pakistan people, please appreciate our wins. *Yes of course* (as our captain Misbah says) we lost to South Africa and the Champions Trophy but we have learned and moved on. Pakistan team looks good and they should continue the momentum. Don't worry about the allegations they are senseless. Best of Luck Pakistan!!! I appreciate your performance and enjoyed watching the series with West Indies.
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Jul 31, 2013 09:38pm
Well Mr. Afridi you guys done well in West Indies but still we need to wait and see how you guys do moving forward because the road to redemption is a long one.........so let's not get complecent with just one performance.
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Aug 01, 2013 12:33am
I agree we should appreciate this success of the Pakistani team on the West Indies tour. PCB and the team management should identify weaknesses of the Pakistani team which are easy to identify and work out a comprehensive plan to eradicate those weaknesses. Please keep faith on the youngsters (Hamad Azam, Umar Ameen, Haris Sohail, Ahmad Shahzad, etc.)selected for this tour and give them an extended chance in the national team. These players are the future of Pakistan and they should be handled and groomed carefully. You cannot expect a new player to perform well immediately at the highest level on away tour. Even Miandad failed on his first tour of Australia and West Indies.
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Aug 01, 2013 02:46am
ok, so these whiners now want us to "appreciate" their victory? never mind the fact that it was a clash of the diminutive titans who happen to be at the bottom of ranking among the major cricketing nations. Every thing is now fine & rosey, no need to acknowledge the fact that as a whole, current Pakistani team makeup severely lacks genuine talent & skills in almost every department. In bowling we currently don't have ANY world class speedster or master of swing bowler, our fielding on any given day can present the look of chaos that can only be found in a Jumma Bazar and less said about our bating better. It mainly consists of a consistently failed opener in Hafeez who despite playing for over 9 yrs boast a mighty average of ~25, down the order we have the likes of Imran Farhat, Kamran Akmal & Shoaib Malik who only god knows how they keep finding room back in to the team time & again. And of course we have the ever green Afridi who despite playing for over 16 yrs haven't been able to figure out if he's a batsman or a spinner specialist. Till day his bating acumen largely consists of 'close your eyes & swing your bat' and yet our selection committee keeps picking him as an "all rounder", thus ignoring the need to find & groom a genuine batsman down the order at number 6 or 7. Nothing of these facts matter now because our star studded team has beaten the mighty windies on their own soil.
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Aug 01, 2013 05:08am
Sorry Afridi, I cannot forget how you cricketers have humiliated the country time and again. In fact, I have stopped watching cricket altogether. Granted all are not guilty but then I don't know who is up to what. All the three accused in the biggest betting scandal have now admitted to match fixing after vehemently protesting their innocence. Why should I believe any cricketer then ?
Having said that, I have to say that I am really sorry to see a talent like Muhammad Amir being banned from cricket but it was his own fault.
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Aug 01, 2013 01:16pm
Winning over weak teams is nothing to savour. Performance against stronger opposition - Australia, England, India, South Africa - should be the yardstick.
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Aug 01, 2013 01:50pm
Well, Afridi, the thing is winning against WI and Zim, DONT MATTER!
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Aug 01, 2013 02:03pm
Ok. We appreciate Paks win since you begged for it.
Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Aug 01, 2013 02:24pm
@Naved:
HAHAHAHA YOU R RIGHT MR. NAVED
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Aug 01, 2013 02:54pm
East Indies or west Indies, wins are wins. Congratulations for those thrilling wins and the best wishes to this young team from India.
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Aug 01, 2013 03:49pm
Congratulate for winning T20?
We were once world champions, a real contender to recon with! Top test nation, our batsman broke successive century record, our bowlers were feared!
It has come to a stage where our senior players are seeking appreciation for winning T20. A form which real cricket enthusiasts and brains don't even watch!
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Aug 01, 2013 04:01pm
@Naved:
Afridi gave you first odi on your plate out of four and he was second highest wicket taker of the tournament so better you retire yourself mate.
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Aug 01, 2013 04:11pm
Well we being a well wisher of the pakistan cricket always want to see our team in a good shape, means in games win or defeat is part of game but it should be in a dignified manner.so there is always a difference between defeat with honor or dishonor.Pakistani teams should play every game with their full potential that is what we expect from our teams.we know always winning is euphoria but heart out efforts brings sometimes unexpected results.So Pakistan team just needs to gel together and then the results will be altogether different what we are getting now.GOD BLESS ALL PAKISTANI TEAMS.
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Aug 01, 2013 05:23pm
@Naved:
He made you win first ODI and then he was the second highest wicket taker and third highest run scorer in that series, what else would you like him to do sir!
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Aug 01, 2013 05:37pm
No matter what you say or thing of afridi, he still has a lot of life and can give Pakistan team a Boost. Just by having Afridi in the team scares the opposition as anything is possible when Afridi is in town.
Keep it up brother, you're not that old as Misbah.
Inam from Walthamstow
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Aug 01, 2013 07:45pm
A win is a win. Why don't people appreciate it and be happy. I don't understand the lack of appreciation. Does it have to be against the best every time? Given the context of what is going on with Pakistan Cricket this is actually is pretty good.
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Aug 01, 2013 09:08pm
@Naved:
You want young blood like Australians and South Africans doing ;)?.Why would some body lose players like Ponting and Hussey and try young blood who are good for nothing.This is not the game for new born babies.Please learn from history.
Why should Afridi retire,he is doing pretty good at moment.I don't think young blood can take 7-14 and score 74 runs at same time.He is good enough to be any team any day.Players like Afridi,David Warner play like that cricket.You cannot change them.He carried on with responsibility of taking over Pakistan in last T20 and his performance in ODI has been good enough,so no question of retirement.
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Aug 02, 2013 03:16am
A humbled Afridi... last time he hit someone when they came back after winning a series.
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Aug 02, 2013 08:23am
@Burki:
Are you aware that Pakistan is Number 2 team in T20 Cricket ranking ?I think No.2 is bottom ranking in your book
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Aug 02, 2013 10:05am
Shahid Afridi, congratulations on the 3-1 victory over West Indies. We are satisfied, the team has performed as a unit. The shenanigans of the past are a thing to be remembered and not put aside. You must know that Islam emphasizes on good behavior and there are many examples of honesty, courtesy, simplicity, and fairplay.
However, let me tell you something. Gaining or re-gaining respect is not a 'sleight of hand.' It takes at least two to three years of clean and mature behavior on and off the field and importantly, a minimum of fifty-five percent wins to be considered as an improved and winning team. The example of the Australian cricket team is a SHINING example. Quote: "For one swallow does not make a summer, nor does one day; or a short time, does not make a man blessed and happy." Aristotle. (www.brainyquote.com/)
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Aug 03, 2013 01:12pm
Afridi u r the best player to watch ..anyway were is Misbha, hafeez seems like this time also they are holidaying in West Indies last time they had great holidays in UK....
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