Random Cricket Thread (International Cricket)

[GarlicJam]

Has he retired from his retiring career though?

[braveneutral]

He said that he will play 2 more years. Which gives us five more years of retire-unretire by my count.

[Aidan11]

His U-Turns are now just roundabouts.

[Dr Cricket]

As of now? So he won't play in the CT?

Might be a while before we can be so sure that his career has deceased that anyone could write a eulogy with any degree of certainty.

Afridi is one funny chap considering Pakistan dropped him from the team last year after the t20 world cup in india, also not played ODI since 2015 or test since 2010.

From reports pakistan were never picking him again anyway, it is a joke how this guy is the highest paid cricketer in pakistan and is known as a world class cricketer in the country.

[meninblue]

Lala di jaan . Afridi is such a character

[sussexpob]

More than anyone in my lifetime, shahid afridi changed international cricket. Say what you want about him, but boom boom I think redefined how quickly it was possible to score in the eye of all one day teams.

Threw away a career in tests, he was actually a potentially great all-rounder, but in his last few innings he seemed he couldn't give a toss about the longer game. Before that he had played some top efforts. And on his day he won games in limited overs on his own...you left him in 10 overs and that was it, game over.

If he'd been born into any other, less dysfunctional environments, he'd probably have been a great. He had a raw talent few I've seen match

[andy]

Started off as an opener i believe? Could also bowl some pacers at a decent lick. Was useful in test cricket early on in his career, and his leggies always a threat, more so in limited overs cricket..think he got carried away with his own hype, in terms of the way he went about his batting, and it badly affected him in tests, and in a way in odi's too. Sadly won't be known much for his role in tests, but did okay...obviously early on was destructive in odi's, and a real force to be reckoned with... sadly towards the end, he only came off once in 20 innings, but was always feared...and his bowling went from strength to strength...a good all-round cricketer, probably one of the greats in limited overs cricket, just a shame that every 6 months or so we had a farcical retirement etc from him....if it is the end, farewell Shahid

[Arthur Crabtree]

Good posts. Definitely seemed to gamble too much on his batting talent in the second half of his career. But by then he was a valuable slow bowler. Not so sure he can be excused his gamesmanship (dancing on the pitch, for example).

[meninblue]

Still remember the Gauti Afridi incident. He was short tempered. But made some good friendship with Indian cricketers later on.

As a player he was a decent all rounder in ODI in sub continent. His batting was nowhere near test class though. No wonder he did not last long in tests. Like most Pak cricketers lack of consistency was his issue. Chucking was another issue. He looked less effective when he reduced chucking.

[Durhamfootman]

Ball biter..... close the door on the way out, son

[hopeforthebest]

I like Afridi, he is one of the few cricketers with a personality and likeable with it. sussex has said pretty well everything to be said about his cricket but for me his enthusiasm was infectious and great to watch. Clearly wasted his batting skills far too often in recent years.

[rich1uk]

likeable ?

the guy was a cheat

that cancels out everything else

[sussexpob]

Anyone who criticises him as not being good enough in tests may want to rewatch some of his efforts against India. The away hundred in 1998-99 vs India which won Pakistan the test on a low scoring and very difficult track was an exhibition of proper test batting. He scored a few in India in games that were high profile.

Yet there was little faith there from his coaches. He played a tiny amount of games after that despite probably maintaining an average of 40 and bowling well for much of his career.

Afridi got lost to the demons of Pakistan cricket. His career almost perfectly follows the hash job the administrators have done their over his career.

The lad was a mid teen when he was plucked out of the middle of nowhere. He needed guidance, he grew into adulthood in the game in the Pakistan team..... yet find me a worthwhile role model in his period? The greats were almost finished, and even guys like yousuf and inzamam dropped the captaincy like a hand grenade.

I'll never forget his last effort in England in tests. Coming in at 5 down for nothing a few times, and trying to invent ridiculous shots. This wasn't a player who couldn't bat, it was a player who was batting like whatever he did was never good enough, and that he'd past caring. By this stage ipl was excluding Pakistan cricketers and other team mates were throwing games around him.... I'd hazard a guess from his attitude and demeanour he probably knew and thought what the hell.

He had the gift. In another time in another team he'd have excelled and become excellent. When he really wanted to play, and you seen it on his face, he was seriously good.

And he was kinda pigenholed in odis by the end as the pinch hitter coming in at 7. Not much you can do apart from slog. His bowling became excellent by this stage.

If someone like Afridi had the free card of Ben Stokes, the unwavering and unjustified adoration....he'd be a great. But coming after so many Pakistan legends, you felt the management wanted him to bat like miandad and bowl like Akram instantly. He got a very short rope in the test side

[Aidan11]

Ball biter..... close the door on the way out, son

I also remember when England were playing Pakistan and there was an explosion near the ground. Ithink it was a drinks urn combusting but while everyone was distracted, Afridi scuffed the wicket with his spikes unaware the camera was fixed on the wicket.

[sussexpob]

But when Stuart broad does it, he's just stopping the ball, right?