Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi seems to be more comfortable when his bat does the talking than fielding questions from the media who hounded him during a chaotic post-match press conference after the third one-day international against South Africa in Dubai on Tuesday night.
Making a rare appearance in front of a coterie of journalists after South Africa’s tense two-run victory at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Afridi was in a belligerent mood giving crisp replies to a wide array of questions from a media hungry for answers to Pakistan’s woes on the field.
Contrary to some reports that Afridi seemed flustered by the intense barrage of questions which sometimes bordered on the absurd, the champion all-rounder kept his cool although he did not pull any punches just like his approach to batting. With his own performance with the bat under scrutiny despite making 49 during the victory in the second one-day game in Abu Dhabi, perhaps he feels a bit of pressure.
However, the holder of many records, including the fastest one-day century, added another to his name when he surpassed Sri Lanka’s Sanath Jayasuriya in the all-time list of players who have hit the most number of sixes. It came when he smashed the second ball he faced from off spinner Johan Botha with an audacious shot over extra cover for the 343rd six of his career. However, he departed in the next over holing out in the deep and ruing another missed opportunity after the tailenders rallied around left hander Fawad Alam who brought them to the brink of victory with a fighting unbeaten knock of 59.
When 'Emirates 24|7' asked for his reaction on what he feels about owning the record for having hit the most number of sixes in a career, apparently it was not something to savour when his team had suffered another defeat. “I’m not worried about my sixes. My performance is more important to the team at the moment,” he said but he is unlikely to abandon his cavalier approach. “Definitely I’m going with a positive mind and trying my best. But sometimes you can’t do it,” said Afridi who blamed his top order for batting with negative mind set. “If you look at (Hashim) Amla’s batting, wickets were falling around him but he was going ahead with his shots. Our batsmen went out to bat with a negative approach,” said Afridi referring to the South Africa’s unbeaten century of 119 on a tricky surface.
“They are much better than us. We have been able deliver only in the bowling segment but not in batting and fielding. The reason is they are a more professional team. They work harder; we are also working hard but not probably at the same level as they (South Africans) are performing,” he said.
Afridi said they gave away about 30 runs extra because of their poor fielding. “I’m not satisfied with the fielding standard. If our standard is similar to South Africa, then it would be great since our bowling lineup is strong,” he said.
He also dismissed speculation that the spot-fixing allegations, involving three Pakistani cricketers, have anything to do with team’s poor performance in the ongoing series. “I don’t think so that the spot fixing issue has anything to do with our performance. If you take your past to the ground then you won’t be able to play. The boys are now focusing on their cricket. It’s just we are not seizing upon good opportunities to put South Africa out of the game,” he said.
He was not happy with the bowling of off spinner Saeed Ajmal and hinted left arm spinner Abdul Rehman could replace him in the next match. “Pakistan have to improve in all areas of the game because South Africa is a tough side. We have to be mentally tough to beat them,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan team manager Intikhab Alam revealed they had not included exciting young batsman Umar Akmal in the team as he was struggling with an ankle injury that could put him out of the series. Pakistan manager, Intikhab Alam told the media that Akmal sustained the injury during a practice session before the third one-dayer.
“He twisted his ankle while playing volleyball and was lined up to replace Misbah-ul-Haq in the third match. To avoid an aggravation of his injury, the team management decided to leave him out,” Alam said
