Images from the Woorld Cup match between Pakistan and Kenya, played in Hambantota, Sri Lanka, on Wednesday.
Former Pakistan head coach Waqar Younis has claimed that his relationship with former skipper Shahid Afridi has been spoiled after his scathing report on the country's dismal performance in the recently-concluded World T20 was leaked. "I have been very clear that report was not for the media, but for the cricket board. Unfortunately, the report was leaked and my relationship with Afridi has been spoilt," Younis was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo. Waqar and Afridi's decision to step down from their respective position came days after their side's early exit from the T20 format's pinnacle event. Pakistan were crashed out of the prestigious tournament after suffering three successive defeats against arch-rivals India, New Zealand and Australia in the group stages. Talking about Afridi's drawbacks, the 44-year-old said that the main problem with the all-rounder was his inability to concentrate on a particular thing for long span of time. "Afridi's drawbacks as a captain are for everyone to see. He has got a temperament issue. He cannot sit for too long to highlight things, or absorb things and then go and implement them. I've said this in my report," said Younis.
Missing the third season of the Indian Premier League is actually a blessing in disguise for the Pakistani cricketers since it has allowed the players to gel well as a team and prepare better for the Twenty20 World Cup, skipper Shahid Afridi said on Thursday.
Sacked Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi was slapped a hefty fine of 4.5 million rupees by the Pakistan Cricket Board's disciplinary committee after he pleaded guilty of breaching the Code of Conduct at a hearing in Lahore on Thursday.
He holds the record for playing most number of matches in T20Is (90). Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi will be taking part in his 6th ICC World T20 event, scheduled to be held in India in March. Pakistan's T20I skipper, who had earlier stated that he will retire from all forms the game after the marquee event in March, hinted at reconsidering his decision to retire. After retiring from ODIs after the 2015 World Cup, Afridi continues to lead Pakistan in the shortest format of the game and the all-rounder said that he is under "a lot of pressure" from family, friends and elders who believe "there is no need to retire from T20s".
Statistical highlights of the World Twenty20 match between Pakistan and New Zealand in Pallekele.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a 15-man squad sans the name of the skipper for the forthcoming ICC T20 World Championship in the Caribbean.
It has traditionally been a battle between India's batting and Pakistan's bowling whenever the arch-rivals have met on a cricket field and Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi reckons the trend will continue in their World Twenty20 contest on Saturday. The Pakistan captain is looking to bank on his team's winning record against India the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Pakistan have defeated India in all four matches that have played at the Eden Gardens. "We have good memories of the ground," Afridi said. "We have played well at this ground, we know the conditions and the pitch suits us as well." Pakistan were the last team to land in India, putting aside safety concerns that led to the switching of their match against India from Dharamsala to Kolkata's Eden Gardens.
'When you win 10 games on the trot, you tend to get overconfident. This leads to your downfall.'
The PCB has already donated around 10 million to the Prime Minister's Covid-19 Pandemic Relief Fund.
The decision to appoint Shahid Afridi captain in all three formats of the game, especially Tests, came in for sharp criticism from former Pakistani players who feel the move is a big gamble and could backfire as the all-rounder was not a regular in the five-day side.
Amid speculation that he has sought a farewell match, Pakistan's flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi has said that he is too experienced and seasoned a cricketer to make such a demand and ruled out calling it quits anytime soon. "I have played 20 years of international cricket for Pakistan and not the PCB. And I am not dependent on anyone for a match. The love and support I have got and get from my well-wishers and fans is enough reward for me," Afridi told the media in Peshawar on Sunday. The firebrand former Pakistan captain said he would not ask the PCB for any farewell match.
Flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi earned Pakistan a three-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the first Twenty20 international at Dubai stadium on Wednesday.
The Pakistani all-rounder said he would try to curb his impulse to hit every ball for a six and help his team build a long innings in the Tests against India.
Flamboyant allrounder and former captain, Shahid Afridi believes that Pakistan cricket think-tank has erred by having too many expectations from out of favor batsmen, Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal. "I don't know but it was wrong to expect them to be like Virat Kohli or Ab de Villiers and perform like them," Afridi said on Geo News channel on Monday. Shehzad and Umar considered to be two of the country's best young batting talent have been axed for the tour to England on disciplinary grounds and were not called for the training and skills camps set up by the cricket board. PCB Chairman, Shaharyar Khan made it clear that it was the decision of the new selection committee to sideline the two youngsters. Afridi said there was no doubt that Shehzad and Umar needed to work hard on their cricket and approach. "I also agree there should be no compromise on discipline. But I think it is best if we stop expecting too much from them and just let them be and let them play the way they do. With more experience I am sure they will be much better," he added.
The World Twenty20 build-up has been far from ideal for Pakistan but captain Shahid Afridi said his team is in a positive frame of mind even though it needs to be more disciplined in executing strategy. Pakistan could win only two matches during last month's Asia Cup, a debacle that came close on the heels of a limited-overs away series loss to New Zealand. Afridi said his side has been guilty of deviating from plans and this shortcoming will have to be overcome when it takes on Bangladesh (March 16) and India (March 19) in the opening two matches here. "We are missing that (execution of plans). But I don't think we should live in the past. If we play to the team plan, we would do well," Afridi said in a press conference on Sunday. "The first game is always very important. You take rhythm from the first match. We will try to take the rhythm from the first match. The pitch and conditions suit us. Both the matches will be very important," he added.
Pakistan Twenty20 skipper Shahid Afridi does not seem to be in favour of tainted cricketer Salman Butt making a comeback to the national team. A source in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) told PTI that Butt, who completed a five-year ban for spot-fixing last September, was in contention for an immediate comeback to international cricket but Afridi showed his reluctance. "Butt met with chief selector Haroon Rasheed last night in Lahore. The situation is that members of the Pakistan team have also indicated they have no problems with Butt joining the team but Afridi is not in favour of his inclusion," the source said. The source also said that the selectors were considering opener Butt for the World T20 after the team's dismal batting performance in the Asia Cup in Bangladesh. "The selectors are desperate to find a solution to the opening problem in the Pakistan team and will also certainly recall experienced opener Ahmed Shehzad. Salman Butt is also under consideration," the source said.
A look at some of India's best victories over Pakistan in ICC tournaments.
Pakistan trumped South Africa on Thursday to prove they remain arguably the most unpredictable team in international cricket and former all-rounder Shahid Afridi said it would be a mistake to write them off in the ongoing Champions Trophy.
India all-rounder Washington Sundar has been nominated for the ICC 'Player of the month' award for July alongside England's Gus Atkinson and Charlie Cassell of Scotland.
'Shocked and hurt' by Shahid Afridi's comments that Pakistan's cricketers are loved more by Indians than the fans in their own country, former captain Javed Miandad said players making such statements should be 'ashamed' of themselves.
Shahid Afridi has stepped down as captain of the Pakistan T20 squad.
New Zealand survived Shahid Afridi's late onslaught to beat Pakistan by 17 runs in the second and final Twenty20 match to level the series 1-1.
Shahid Afridi struck a 45-ball century, equalling the second fastest of all time, in the fifth one-day international against India on Friday.
The former Pakistan captain said he had enjoyed the most playing his cricket in India.
Former Pakistan cricketers and the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, Mohsin Naqvi came down heavily on the team management and the players, after their six-run loss to India on Sunday.
Trying to stay aloof from the scathing backlash that he has faced in the real and virtual worlds, following the World T20 loss to India on Saturday, Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has said that he is not bothered by the criticism as he knows what is best from the team.
Pacer Mohammad Amir claimed a wicket on his return to international cricket following a five-year ban as Pakistan registered a 16-run victory over New Zealand in the first Twenty20 International in Auckland on Friday.
Adam Zampa surpassed pacer Mitchell Starc to become the country's leading wicket-taker in ICC T20 World Cup history.
The inaugural edition of the T10 league will witness a celebrity match on the final day.
Mohammad Amir confessed to spot-fixing only after then ODI skipper Shahid Afridi slapped the fast bowler, while Salman Butt was involved in corruption much before Pakistan's ill-fated tour of England in 2010, claimed former all-rounder Abdul Razzaq.
Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi hailed New Zealand batsman Corey Anderson, who broke his long-standing record for the fastest one-day century - but admitted he had never heard of him before
Here is a list on the all-rounders to watch out for during the tournament:
Rohit Sharma achieved another significant milestone in his already impressive career by becoming the first Indian batsman to hit 300 sixes in One-day Internationals. In doing so, he joined an elite club alongside Chris Gayle (331 sixes) and Shahid Afridi (351 sixes) as one of the few to have hit more than 300 maximums in ODIs.
'He is a champion and I believe there comes a stage when you are headed towards retirement.' 'At such a stage, the aim should be to go out on a high.'
Supremely confident of his pace attack, Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi on Friday said his fast bowlers are capable of sending the Indian top-order packing in the first six overs itself when the two teams lock horns in the Asia Cup T20 group league match, in Fatullah on Saturday. "Pace bowlers are the main form of attack in these conditions. We have got four pacers and they are just cricketers who are considered to be wicket-taking. Our fast bowlers will try to utilise the opening six overs by removing their batsmen as that is considered to be their strength," Afridi said at the pre-match press conference. Afridi though acknowledged that Indian batsmen do play spinners very well. In the spin department, Afridi will be supported by left-arm spinner Muhammad Nawaz, who has done well in the recently concluded PSL. "Indian batsmen usually play spinners very well and they have in-form players in their squad as they have come here playing some good cricket. I think apart from me there is Mohammad Nawaz who performed really well in the domestic cricket as well as in the PSL. The fast bowlers are also in good shape whether it is Amir, Wahab or Irfan.
Butt said he was close to being selected for the World T20 in India after he had resumed playing domestic cricket following the completion of his ban in 2015 but Afridi resisted his selection.
Yuvraj and Shahid Afridi believe that the two countries playing each other will be good for the sport.
Afridi makes controversial comment on Kashmir
Malinga brought his tally to 99 wickets, surpassing Afridi's total haul of 98 wickets.
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