Struggling Afridi blames Misbah for CT axe

Published May 1, 2013
“I am much better than lot of other (Pakistan) players and I know I could play for Pakistan for few more years.” -Photo by AFP
“I am much better than lot of other (Pakistan) players and I know I could play for Pakistan for few more years.” -Photo by AFP

ISLAMABAD: Shahid Afridi has blamed Pakistan's one-day cricket captain Misbah-ul-Haq for his exclusion from the Champions Trophy squad, and has vowed to return to the national team.

“It's the captain's decision to drop me,” Afridi told the Urdu language Daily Jang on Wednesday.

“It's no big deal for me if a captain doesn't want a certain player in the team.”

In announcing the squad earlier this week, selectors said Afridi, who has scored 7,201 and taken 348 wickets in ODIs, was left out due to recent poor form in one-day internationals. He has scored only 161 runs at an average of 17.88 and taken just four wickets at an astonishing cost of 113.75 runs each in the last 12 ODIs. But Afridi refused to go into his recent statistics.

“I am much better than lot of other (Pakistan) players and I know I could play for Pakistan for few more years.”

Afridi now plans to prepare for a Twenty20 tournament in England in July where he will represent English county Hampshire.

“I have received lots of text messages from my fans and I am thankful to all of them,” he said.

The flamboyant allrounder refused to accept that his exclusion from the Champions Trophy squad spelt the end of his career.

“I know I have to work very hard to return to Pakistan team,” he said.

“I want to make it clear I don't want to be burden on the team. I want to represent Pakistan on performance and fitness.

“The day I believed I am burden on the team I will quit myself.”

Opinion

Editorial

Hasty transition
Updated 05 May, 2024

Hasty transition

Ostensibly, the aim is to exert greater control over social media and to gain more power to crack down on activists, dissidents and journalists.
One small step…
05 May, 2024

One small step…

THERE is some good news for the nation from the heavens above. On Friday, Pakistan managed to dispatch a lunar...
Not out of the woods
05 May, 2024

Not out of the woods

PAKISTAN’S economic vitals might be showing some signs of improvement, but the country is not yet out of danger....
Rigging claims
Updated 04 May, 2024

Rigging claims

The PTI’s allegations are not new; most elections in Pakistan have been controversial, and it is almost a given that results will be challenged by the losing side.
Gaza’s wasteland
04 May, 2024

Gaza’s wasteland

SINCE the start of hostilities on Oct 7, Israel has put in ceaseless efforts to depopulate Gaza, and make the Strip...
Housing scams
04 May, 2024

Housing scams

THE story of illegal housing schemes in Punjab is the story of greed, corruption and plunder. Major players in these...