At the 2011 World Cup, SHAHID AFRIDI was the joint highest wicket-taker alongside India’s Zaheer Khan with 21 victims. However in three matches of the current campaign, Afridi has been cruelly denied by shoddy catching behind the stumps.

The all-rounder had a forgettable 35th birthday last Sunday when he was dismissed for a second-ball duck against Zimbabwe before he failed to claim his first wicket of the tournament when Umar Akmal muffed two sitters.

The big-hitter’s overall World Cup record is dismal with just 259 runs in 21 innings (averaging only 12.33) with a best of 37 — against Zimbabwe at The Oval in 1999.

Pakistan will love to have their ex-skipper firing on all cylinders with the bat after just 50 runs in the first three games.

If there is an enigma in international cricket then Australian all-rounder SHANE WATSON will surely top the list. With a fragile body, his career has seen so many ups and downs that one has forgot to remember all of them.

Shane Watson

At the crease he is an aggressive brute but his drives and pulls are delivered in a much smoother style. Bangladesh were at the receiving end of a rampaging Watson who bludgeoned 15 sixes in an ODI in April 2011.

As a medium-pacer he has the knack of taking handy wickets.

With Australia facing a selection dilemma with several other quality all-rounders to pick from, time is certainly running out for the 33-year-old Watson who made nought against England and 23 against New Zealand.

Published in Dawn, March 4th, 2015

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