My decision is final: Afridi

Dawn Sport Published April 21, 2015

Superstar all-rounder Shahid Afridi quashed speculations over his return to the ODI side after Pakistan's series loss to Bangladesh and called upon fans to be patient during the team's 'rebuilding' phase.

Afridi, who will lead Pakistan in the lone T20 against Bangladesh, said while the team's performances in the ODIs were frustrating, he had no intentions of going back on his decision to retire from the 50-over game.

“My decision is final. We have to understand that the new players will take time to adjust and settle down and we have to give them proper time for this,” Afridi, who will remain captain of the T20 side until the 2016 World T20, told reporters.

The 34-year-old bowed out of ODIs with his dreams unfulfilled as Pakistan crashed out in the 2015 World Cup quarter-finals against Australia.

The flamboyant leg spinner, who has played 389 one-day internationals plus 27 Tests and 77 T20 matches for Pakistan, said he was now solely focussed on building a strong T20 squad.

“We have some exciting players in our T20 squad and my aim as captain now is to build up a strong outfit,” Afridi, who held the ODI record for the fastest century until it was broken by New Zealand's Corey Anderson in 2014, said.

“That we lost the one-day series to Bangladesh will not make a difference to us and we want to win this lone T20 game,” Afridi added.

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A Pakistani_Ireland

Apr 21, 2015 06:09pm

Thank God that this is your final decision.

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Hassan Zaman

Apr 21, 2015 06:14pm

take back the decision ......come bak to play

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Amar

Apr 21, 2015 06:20pm

Thank You very much Afridi for giving your best to the country, and to the sports arena, you were tremendous, on and off the field. You have been the major part of the Pakistan Cricket for the last few years, and I think not only Pakistan, but the world of Cricket has enjoyed not only your presence, but also your contribution to the game which is now getting popular in the world. Good Luck with T20.

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Anwar Ahmad

Apr 21, 2015 06:30pm

The way Bangladeshis are playing, you wouldn't have made any difference anyway.

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Moshim Khan

Apr 21, 2015 06:36pm

Who will next AFRIDI????????????????? Pakistan must play more T20I matches to know about AGGRESSION .......... Afridi should play till 2018 ICC T20I WC.

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Capt C M Khan

Apr 21, 2015 06:39pm

Good we had enough of you. Inshallah we will find good players one day.

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Fahim Khan

Apr 21, 2015 06:40pm

Thank you sir! Aggression with brain is the need of the time.

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proud-winner

Apr 21, 2015 06:44pm

Awesome Boom Boom.

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A Pakistani_Ireland

Apr 21, 2015 06:46pm

@Moshim Khan ... Just type in Google Kamran Ghulam a new Afridi..... He was regarded as a new Afridi by UK media when scored 112 runs on 56 balls.... Only 18 years old from KPK.... But due to legacy of Misbah , Younis, Afridi, Shoaib Malik, PCB etc... He needs to wait for years to be in the team....They will waste him like what they did with Hammad Azam.

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khan

Apr 21, 2015 06:49pm

@Amar "you were tremendous, on and off the field" really? Biting the ball, digging on the pitch with his shoe spikes, using obscene words at his fellow players on the ground, quitting mid series as the captain, and more. Add his reckless game on top of that. It was good when he clicked. But unfortunately for Pakistan, not for him though , that happened only once in a blue moon. He was fine through it all though because Pakistanis loved him all along , just based on his very few brilliant innings.

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Umer Ali

Apr 21, 2015 06:51pm

Its good you didn't revert back your decision. It has been over 18 years to find out what category you fell in; a specialist batsman, a specialist bowler or the all-rounder. I now deduce you were a good bowler for the limited overs or 20/20 before 2010 plus you were an unpredictable tailender batsman. There was nothing extra ordinary we see to compare you the greats of Inzamam, Wasim, dhoni,virat etc.

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Pagrri Sambhaal

Apr 21, 2015 06:53pm

Would that I have wished some thing else!

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ailly

Apr 21, 2015 07:06pm

@proud-winner ... you must be a pathan, with due respect.

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f basheer

Apr 21, 2015 07:11pm

lala pls dont forget to put your brains when you bat otherwise signature catch at mid off how many times has he failed as a batter bowling now useless still a super star look at his stats.

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zulfiqar

Apr 21, 2015 07:42pm

@Moshim Khan Boom Boom was great when he was! He is truly one of a kind. We don't need another one like him.

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optimist

Apr 21, 2015 07:52pm

Afridi has a point to prove and he will try to win the World, t-20. Afridi will take back his retirement if the chairman request him to do so, but he will put a condition, will return only after Waqar Younus quits or he is fired.

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Chishti

Apr 21, 2015 08:02pm

Great,

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Apr 21, 2015 08:27pm

Thanks for confirmation, now I can sleep easy.

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daada

Apr 21, 2015 08:48pm

T20 is a disgrace to cricket and you are better there than ODI squad. I still like you though

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Hindutavi Rakshas

Apr 21, 2015 08:55pm

time to move on time to build new team otherwise we 'll end the same fitness lack of exposure talent in next world cup 2019. Take hard decision and fix the domestic circuit and that will give us talent to fill in national side there is no short cut of filling the team with good young player, Introduce the culture of merit and depoliticize pcb.

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Hindutavi Rakshas

Apr 21, 2015 08:57pm

@KM lol

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Apr 21, 2015 09:12pm

Afridi is the reason for the overall failing of Pakistani cricket Youngsters don't understand cricket only mindless sixes Shame

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Shahram

Apr 21, 2015 09:18pm

Thank God

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Sab Se Pehle Pakistan

Apr 21, 2015 09:30pm

Common Lalla nothing is final. The team needs you. Remember Sab Se Pehle Pakistan. Take your retirement back. Comeback for 2 years. Let a new captain groom under you

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AXH

Apr 21, 2015 09:35pm

Not sure why he is titled as Superstar? Either the word needs to be revisited in the dictionary or its usage for him.

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Muhammad AlBasyaie

Apr 21, 2015 09:55pm

Shahid Khan Afridi... Without you no cricket... you broke our hearts when you gone... Now we dont see cricket.. Only T20 to watch with afridi as captain...AMAZING....

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Apr 21, 2015 10:11pm

Afridi is only reason of downfall of Pakistan Last 17 years everybody want to be Afridi in pakistan Want to become instant hero by some mindless and stupid batting In other nation he must have retired 10 years back

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Apr 21, 2015 10:17pm

Afridi is only reason for the downfall of Pakistan Every young Pakistani batsman want to become instant hero by hitting sixes Sensible batting is not found in them example Akmal shehjad maqsood

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muhammad

Apr 21, 2015 10:27pm

Good decision give chance to othere

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Pacman

Apr 21, 2015 10:51pm

@A Pakistani_Ireland , A super star, may be from the yesteryear, he cashed in on that for a very long time. Modeling was his fallback from the beginning.

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IMRAN ALI

Apr 21, 2015 11:09pm

keep your decision final

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Marcus Thope

Apr 21, 2015 11:18pm

Afridi dont retire we need you to get those four wickets which will probably take four years according to your WC2015 performance.

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RUBEL DOMAR

Apr 21, 2015 11:35pm

"Give Me The Leadership, I'll Give The Winner Team." ... Ha Ha Ha.... :P

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ilyas

Apr 22, 2015 12:04am

@zulfiqar yes he was truly one of a kind. Just read between the lines!

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Bin Qasim

Apr 22, 2015 12:43am

A generation of Pakistani youngsters have grown up emulating Afridi's approach to batting. Now we have a team full of guys with worse batting technique and temperament than even Bengladesh.

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T.M. Reddy

Apr 22, 2015 01:01am

Yes, many politicians take back the decisions many times over, right?

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Rehan

Apr 22, 2015 01:28am

You should at least return to finish your 400 ODI wickets ... 400 wickets coupled with 8000 runs, would be the biggest record in ODI history for any all rounder ... A record that would raise the bar so high that even the worlds best would envy this achievement.

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tariq

Apr 22, 2015 01:52am

Thank goodness

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Shumael

Apr 22, 2015 02:41am

Now we miss Afridi and Misbah after realizing their worth. No debut captain lost from Bangladesh like Azhar Ali.

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Shyam

Apr 22, 2015 03:23am

Hats off to you Afridi. I am an Indian but always admired your style of playing cricket. You will always be remembered as one of those legendary players of Pakistan. We will surely miss you in Cricket. You were one man after Miandad who has the ability to change the game. All the best to you in all your future endeavors.

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SubhSubhBol

Apr 22, 2015 03:33am

For a while he was the '16 yr old'.....and now he is stuck at 34......maybe the digits got flipped.....anyways high time Pakistan perseveres with a newer talent like they did with Afridi.....

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pakistanifirst

Apr 22, 2015 03:44am

good for Greens.

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Sultan

Apr 22, 2015 05:09am

Thanks God, Hopefully this Khan will not take a U turn

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mansoor

Apr 22, 2015 05:19am

Thank God you are not coming back...you were a waste of space, have not performed most of the times and the team can never depend on you!!! This is Cticket and professional sports not a movie where we need star power!@ we need better players who are more responsible unlike yourself

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MH Jamshed

Apr 22, 2015 05:41am

Thank you. Please stay home or I'll have to come there and tie you.

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MH Jamshed

Apr 22, 2015 05:42am

Thank you! And thank you for winning 30 matches for Pakistan and losing 300 while could have played maturely. Not an inspiration for anyone. Play stay out!

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Gawal Mandi ya

Apr 22, 2015 06:37am

Anyone can score 20 some points,your time is up,you have done well,we are proud of you,but yes,its time for new blood.

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Babaji ka Thullu

Apr 22, 2015 08:04am

Thank you afridi to leave cricket. You was the most over rated players. does nothing but always look for credit. You have made Pakistan cricket suffer a lot.

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Take

Apr 22, 2015 08:27am

great cricketer lost

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Imran

Apr 22, 2015 10:36am

Please please please.... Don't take your decision back. We have had enough egony of watching you fail and trouble Pakistan in 350 out of 400 matches you played.

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ahmad

Apr 22, 2015 11:02am

@A Pakistani_Ireland why are u so happy

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ahmad

Apr 22, 2015 11:03am

why r u so happy

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Nasser

Apr 23, 2015 05:06am

Thank God, you promise not to return this time. Have you considered quitting T20 too?

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vicky

Apr 23, 2015 12:03pm

Afridi has been an unique player. He has his share of highs and lows but still a handy all-rounder who won many matches for his country alongwith 32 man of the matches , T-20 World Cup win, highest wicket taker in World Cup 2011 and also T-20 World Cup. There was never and there will never be another afridi. He should have played at least till he completed 400 wickets, it would have been proper for him to retire in home series. I hope the board officials pursues him to revert his decision for one final series of 5 matches. I am surprised to see so many hateful comments I mean look at other teams they don't have an all-rounder, even India is looking to have one from 25 years. Shahid rocks.

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jafar hussain

Apr 23, 2015 03:21pm

i am big fan from shahid afridi

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jafar hussain

Apr 23, 2015 03:22pm

i am big fan from shahid afridi he is very big plyers

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