Boom Boom Afridi: The most intriguing cricketer of all time

Shahid Afridi, the current captain of the ODI and T20 Pakistan teams, is one of the most interesting all-round cricketers of all time. He has rightly earned his nickname ‘Boom Boom’ because of his explosive batting style, but over the years he is becoming renowned more for his aggressive spin bowling. Afridi has some of the best batting averages in the game and he has achieved some unbelievable records. Yet, the other interesting fact about the Pakistani captain is that he is also one of the most inconsistent players of all time. He is the only player in the game ever to score 6000 ODI runs but have an average of only 25. The current spot fixing controversy has left Afridi reeling and he is desperately trying to regroup his players and win the ODI series. Hopefully he will emerge a better player and a better captain at the end of these ordeals.

Afridi made his international debut at the age of 16 for the Pakistani team as a leg spinner. Even though he was supposed to be a spinner, he started to become better known as a pinch hitter. The interesting aspect of his game was the fact that when he would come out to bat he would hit huge strokes, make a decent score, push the teams’ total and then promptly get out. He became known for his ability to hit sixes and make very large scores in a short period of time. In what was only his second match, he scored the fastest century of all time, achieving it in only 37 balls. He also shares the third fastest century along with Brian Lara, scored from 45 balls. He even holds the record for the sixth fastest century which he achieved in 53 balls. Overall in the ODI format of the game he has reached not only 6000 runs but he’s also managed to take over 270 wickets as well. He is one of the best all-rounders in the world at the moment. In early 2010, Afridi was named as the captain of Pakistan in all three formats of the game, though he later retired from test cricket.

Over the years, a lot of people have felt that Afridi was too inconsistent to play in the test format of the game. But, he still has some notable innings to his name and has achieved some great feats in the test format of the sport. His reason for retiring from test cricket was that he felt that his style of play was not suited to the longer version of the game. Afridi’s batting style is very aggressive but then so is his bowling style. A lot of people comment on his batting but over the years with his explosive batting performances slowly diminishing, he has become better known as an attacking spin bowler. One of the best aspects of his bowling style was that he would bowl ball after ball in very quick succession and in doing so he would disorient the batters who are used to pauses between balls. Additionally, he is also able to reduce the run rate of a team in the process. His most fearsome delivery was the fast ball. He is one of the only spin bowlers in the world who was able to bowl the ball at 80 mph and has also been known to bowl the odd bouncer at a batsman. Over the years even his fast ball is rarely seen anymore and it looks like Afridi could be close to retirement.

The great player has not been without controversy in his career though. In 2005, he was caught by cameras stomping on the pitch during a match. It looked like he was trying to ruin the pitch so the ball would swing and spin more so as to favour the Pakistani team when it was bowling. In 2007, he was suspended for four games after he swung his bat and almost hit a spectator who was swearing at him as he walked back to the dressing room. One of the worst incidents of his career took place earlier this year when he was caught on camera chewing a ball. He was trying to tamper with it to change its shape so that it would swing better. He had put all those controversies behind him only to find then that he was suddenly caught in the middle of the current spot fixing scandal that has engulfed the Pakistani team.

It seems that Afridi will retire from the sport of cricket soon because it looks like his explosive hitting power and his ability to bowl the faster delivery have deserted him. He is 30 years old but he may still have a few years left in him. Afridi will always be known as one of the greatest, yet craziest, all round players to set foot on a cricket pitch.

Pakistan captain Afridi wants review system in ODIs

KARACHI — Pakistan one-day captain Shahid Afridi has called for the introduction of a system to review umpire decisions in one-day matches, saying that one wrong decision can decide the outcome.

The International Cricket Council introduced the Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS) on a trial basis in Tests in June 2008, allowing teams to challenge on-field umpire decisions and refer them to a television umpire.

Teams have two opportunities per innings to contest an on-field decision, but the most contentious issue with the system is that hosts have to pay for the technology costs -- unacceptable to several countries.

But Afridi said UDRS should be implemented in one-day matches to eliminate umpiring errors.

"I think the referral system is a must in one-day matches," Afridi told Geo television after his team's 121-run loss against England in the fifth and final one-day at Southampton, England on Wednesday.

During that match, opener Kamran Akmal's controversial leg-before decision from English umpire Ian Gould derailed Pakistan's run-chase of 257.
The television replays showed Kamran edged the ball onto his pads.
England took the series 3-2.
"One decision can change the whole match, some leg-befores... and I am not talking of this match only, also in previous matches, and if such things (wrong umpiring decisions) happen then it changes the whole match," said Afridi.
England captain Andrew Strauss was given not out by West Indian umpire Billy Doctrove, despite a strong appeal by bowler Umar Gul and wicketkeeper Kamran.
Strauss, then 38, went on to make 126 as England, replying to Pakistan's 294 for eight, finished on 295 for six.

Afridi has unfinished Hampshire business

Shahid Afridi has thrust open the door to a Rose Bowl move.

The explosive Pakistan all-rounder was pencilled in to join Hampshire Royals and spearhead their Friends Provident t20 campaign this summer.
However, the lure of captaining his nation against the Aussies proved too much as he made a shock return to Test cricket.
Giles White's Royals battled on without Afridi and – with the help of his countryman Abdul Razzaq – lifted the t20 crown in front of their home crowd last month.
Now, in the wake of his side's NatWest Series defeat to England, the Pakistan skipper believes he has unfinished business on the south coast.
And the man nicknamed Boom Boom – in recognition of his powerful approach to the game – admitted he would love to link up with Hampshire in the future.
'It was a beautiful atmosphere yesterday,' said Afridi.
'These are beautiful conditions and I would definitely love to come here and play some county cricket as well.'
Afridi played just one Test against Australia before once again deciding the longer form of the game was not for him. He continued to lead Pakistan in limited overs cricket.
And he was thrust back into skippering the one-day side this month as match-fixing allegations tainted what should have been a thrilling end to the summer.
It was a tough time to lead the under-fire side, and although impressed by their unity, he is relieved to be heading home.
'I was hoping for some kind of happy ending but it wasn't to be,' said the talismanic all-rounder.
'There has been some serious controversy on this tour but I am very happy with the way my team has remained united.
'I'm disappointed with the result yesterday but the unity is a positive to take away.
'It has been a tough tour but it will be nice to go home and spend some time with our families

Shahid Afridi says England tour was one of the hardest of his career

Pakistan's one-day captain, Shahid Afridi has described the tour to England that ended yesterday as one of the most arduous of his cricket career.
"It was one of the most difficult tours of my 14-year career," said Afridi. "It was difficult to even venture out of the hotel, there were people hooting at us and there was lot of pressure on the players."
Pakistan lost the Test, Twenty20 and one-day series to England and the team was rocked by spot-fixing allegations.
The Test captain, Salman Butt, and bowlers Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz were all questioned by Scotland Yard over the allegations with the first three also suspended by the International Cricket Council.
Afridi who had stepped down as Test captain after Pakistan lost the first test to Australia in July returned to take charge of the team for the limited-overs matches.
"It was a difficult tour because of the allegations. Players were not comfortable even venturing out of the hotel, they were so many negative reports about the team, there was lot of stress on us," he said. "The players were down and it was not easy lifting them up. It was very difficult but they responded well."
Afridi also called for the introduction of the referral system in ODI cricket. "They should have the referral system in one-dayers because one mistake by the umpire can change the course of the game," he said.
Afridi did not rule out the possibility of coming out of retirement to return to the Test team again for the forthcoming series against South Africa in the UAE.
"I will speak to the chairman of the board but there is no doubt Pakistan cricket is going through a difficult phase and we seniors have to play our role in getting the team out of this crisis," he said

Akhtar under suspicion, again

 

Shoaib Akhtar has become the centre of ball-tampering allegations after a British tabloid released pictures of the fast bowler appearing to pick at the seam of the ball and then stand on it.
In a tour that has been over shadowed by spot-fixing allegations, Pakistan's on-field performances improved in the second half of the NatWest series, with Shahid Afridi's men claiming victory in the third and fourth one-dayers.
However, it is controversy that again has taken centre stage, with photographic evidence suggesting that Akhtar attempted to alter the condition of the ball by illegal means.
The allegations are based upon a series of photos released by the Daily Mail, which are said to have been taken in the 41st over of the game. The pictorial evidence suggests that Akhtar ran his thumb along the seam of the ball before dropping it on the ground and standing on it.
If found to be true it will not be the first time that the fast bowler has been involved in a ball-tampering incident. In 2005, also in England, television cameras showed Akhtar flicking the seam of the ball with his thumb. While the 35-year-old was cleared of any wrongdoing on that occasion he was warned by the ICC about his future conduct having faced similar charges during a Test match against Zimbabwe in 2002.
In 2006 Akhtar was banned for two ODIs and fined 75 percent of his match fee after being found guilty of ball-tampering during a one-day match against New Zealand in Sri Lanka.
A spokesman for the ICC declined to comment on the likelihood of any suspicion of ball-tampering, and usual protocol dictates that some mention will have to be made in the match referee's report - which will be received "in due course" - for the ICC to deem any action necessary