Tag: Shahid Afridi

Shahid Afridi has shared his views on the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) decision to fine players of the national cricket team after their disappointing campaign at the T20 World Cup, calling the move “small thinking.”

Speaking to a local TV channel, Afridi said the fines did not address real issues behind the team’s poor performances.

“This decision is hard to understand. It is small thinking. What will you even do with 50 lakh rupees? This is not a real punishment,” Afridi said.

He suggested that players should be sent back to domestic cricket.

“I think the players who did not perform should be sent back to domestic cricket. There are some players who, in my view, should not return to the team for at least two years. These punishments are enough. And those who deserve a raise should be rewarded.”

The comments came after reports that the PCB fined each player five million rupees following the team’s early exit. According to sources quoted by an English daily, the decision was communicated to the squad immediately after the loss to India. 

Players were informed that future rewards would depend solely on results, with financial incentives linked to performance rather than reputation.

Pakistan’s campaign struggled to gain momentum at the tournament. The team narrowly avoided defeat against the Netherlands and beat the United States, but lost a key match against India despite favourable conditions. A win over Namibia helped Pakistan reach the Super 8 stage. 

However, a rain-hit match against New Zealand and a loss to England left the team relying on other results. A narrow win against Sri Lanka did not improve the net run rate enough, allowing New Zealand to advance to the semifinals and ending Pakistan’s tournament.

Board officials said the fines reflected the frustration felt by fans and were meant to reinforce accountability within the squad.

Under the current central contracts running from July 2025 to June 2026, players earn fixed monthly salaries in different categories, ranging from 7.5 lakh to 45 lakh rupees, with match fees paid separately.

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has strongly criticised the exclusion of Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal from the Pakistan Super League (PSL), stating that both players deserve opportunities in franchise cricket.

Speaking on a television show, Afridi expressed disappointment over how domestic cricketers with proven track records continue to face neglect despite their continued involvement in the game.

“I think and I believe that when we completely ignore certain players, it becomes an issue. I was hoping that after two new teams came in, some of our domestic cricketers would get a chance. I think it’s important to mention this here. I’ve said it before and I’m saying it again, whether it’s Umar Akmal or Ahmed Shehzad,” Afridi said.

He emphasised that both cricketers remain active in training and practice sessions, maintaining their fitness and skills.

“They are still playing continuously. They are visible in practice sessions. They are seen in training. These boys deserve respect. Both of them have delivered outstanding performances in the past. They are quality players, quality cricketers. I don’t think they should be ignored this much. They should have been given a chance,” the former all-rounder stated, adding that the two must, however, play domestic cricket first.

Afridi went further, declaring that he would personally pick both players if he led a team. 

“If I were leading a team, I would definitely take these two players with me. The thing is, senior players sometimes need to be handled differently. If there are attitude issues, you have to understand that not every child in a household is the same. You deal with everyone differently. In my opinion, it’s about knowing how to manage them,” he explained.

The 44-year-old drew from his own experience as captain, highlighting the importance of man-management in dealing with talented but temperamental players. “When I was captain and handling players like this, I knew exactly how to manage them and how to deal with others. This is what man-management is at this level. When people talk about coaching, this is real coaching. Knowing a player’s strengths, knowing his weaknesses, and then coordinating with him accordingly. You manage him and bring the best performance out of him,” Afridi said.

He reinforced his belief in tailored management approaches for different personalities. “That is the core of it, how to get performances from such players. I have always strongly believed in player-management. Everyone has a different method, but you must know how to get work done from which player and in what way. That’s why I believe Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad should have been part of at least one franchise team,” he concluded.

The comments come amid vocal frustration from the supporters of both players. Kamran Akmal recently voiced his anger after his brother Umar’s name did not appear in the PSL player auction despite registering for the event.

The situation took an emotional turn when Ahmed Shehzad broke down in tears during a live television show while discussing his PSL snub. Speaking on a private channel, Shehzad admitted that watching his former teammates take the field while he remained unpicked left him deeply hurt.

PSL 11 will feature eight teams for the first time, with new franchises Hyderabad Houston Kingsman and Sialkot Stallionz joining the competition. Multan Sultans, sold for Rs 2.45 billion after previous owner Ali Tareen left the team, have been renamed Rawalpindi.

The tournament will run from March 26 to May 3, 2026.

Former Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi has welcomed the accountability of ex-ISI chief Lieutenant General (retd) Faiz Hameed, stating that anyone who harms the country should face justice.

Speaking to the media after an event in Karachi, Afridi said, “This is not really my domain, but it is a matter of happiness for me that Faiz Hameed and other officers are being held accountable.”

“It is encouraging that the Pakistan Army has started the accountability process from within. The military is mine and I am proud of it,” he added.

On the PSL’s new season featuring two additional franchises, the former captain said the expansion is welcome as it will provide opportunities to more players.

“PSL is our own brand and the road show proves its popularity,” he said.

Discussing future strategy, Afridi said, “Pakistan’s cricket team no longer needs more experiments and should finalize the squad for the World Cup.” He opposed changing players during the series before the global tournament.

A Field General Court Martial sentenced Faiz Hameed to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment after finding him guilty on multiple charges, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) reported on December 11.

The court martial proceedings began on August 12, 2024, under the Pakistan Army Act and continued for 15 months. 

ISPR said that the former spy master faced trial on four charges: engaging in political activities, violating the Official Secrets Act in a manner detrimental to state safety and interests, misusing authority and government resources, and causing wrongful loss to individuals.

After what ISPR described as lengthy and laborious legal proceedings, the court found him guilty on all counts. The sentence took effect on December 11, 2025.

Former Pakistan captain and star all-rounder Shahid Afridi will return to competitive action as he is preparing to represent Pakistan in the IMC Over 40s T20 Cricket World Cup 2025. 

The event will take place in Karachi from November 21 to December 1 and will feature veteran cricketers from around the world.

The Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA) confirmed Afridi’s participation and said the former captain will once again wear Pakistani colours at a global event. PVCA said Afridi’s involvement adds excitement and star power to the tournament that will host 12 international teams and feature 42 matches across multiple venues in Karachi.

Afridi remains one of Pakistan’s most celebrated cricketers. Over a career spanning more than two decades, he played 524 international matches and scored 11,196 runs while taking 541 wickets across formats. 

He holds the record for the second fastest ODI century for Pakistan and retired as one of the leading T20I wicket-takers in the world. 

Afridi has continued to stay active in franchise leagues and exhibition tournaments since retirement. He has appeared in the Legends League Cricket, Global T20 Canada and the T10 League where he remained a major attraction for fans. 

In the upcoming tournament, the Pakistan Over 40s team will be led by former all-rounder Abdul Razzaq while Javed Miandad will serve as team mentor. 

Both Razzaq and Afridi were Pakistan’s core match winners during the 2000s and their reunion is expected to bring experience and strong competitiveness to the veterans’ tournament.

Afridi last represented Pakistan internationally in the 2016 ICC World T20 and later retired from all forms of international cricket in 2017. 

The complete squad for Pakistan Over 40s will be announced soon.

Former Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi has been targeted by Indian media after attending a community event in Dubai hosted by the Indian diaspora from Kerala.

A video from the event held on May 25 by the Cochin University B.Tech Alumni Association (CUBAA) went viral on social media, showing Afridi being warmly welcomed with chants of “Boom Boom” as he arrived, with attendees excited to see the cricket star in person.

Indian media reacted strongly to the video, questioning why Afridi was invited, with their criticism primarily stemming from his past statements on Indian military actions in Kashmir.

The Pakistani former cricket star has openly called out India for blaming Pakistan for incidents without a proper investigation.

“Even if a firecracker goes off, you blame Pakistan. You have 800,000 troops in occupied Kashmir, and still, such incidents happen? That means you are incompetent and cannot protect your people,” he said in May during the Pak-India escalation.

Afridi had also participated in a peace rally in Karachi following a military exchange between Pakistan and India. 

After the Dubai event video surfaced, Indian media questioned the intentions of the Indian students and community members who organised and attended the gathering. Some criticised their own people for celebrating someone seen as a critic of the Indian state.

Despite the backlash by the media, Afridi received a positive response from the Indian community in Dubai, many of whom appeared to focus on his cricketing legacy rather than his political opinions.

Former Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi took a thinly veiled jibe at right-wing war mongers in India by posting a picture of himself in an army-style camouflage shirt while holding a cup of tea. The post, which appeared on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), was a direct response to a tweet by former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan.

Afridi, taking a jibe at Dhawan, captioned the post with a mocking message: “Chhoro jeet haar ko! Aao Shikhar tumhein chai pilata hoon (Forget winning and losing! Come, Shikhar, let me serve you some tea).”

The picture, along with the sarcastic caption, triggered strong reactions from Indian fans, many of whom posted inappropriate comments. However, Afridi’s supporters and netizens from around the world quickly came to his defence, criticizing the toxic responses from Indian users.

This social media spat took place after Shikhar Dhawan posted a tweet a day earlier, in which he fired back at Afridi, saying: “We even defeated you in Kargil; how much lower will you fall? We are proud of our army.”

The war of words between the former cricketers was initially sparked by Afridi’s criticism of the Indian military following the recent Pahalgam incident. Afridi had questioned the Indian army’s failure, saying: “Even if a firecracker explodes there, Pakistan gets blamed. Despite having 800,000 troops in occupied Kashmir, this incident still happened — which means you’re incompetent and useless, unable to provide security to your own people.”

He also brought up the issue of sports diplomacy, saying: “During the 2016 T20 World Cup, even though the situation was tense, our team still went to India. We ourselves weren’t sure whether we’d go or not. India sends its kabaddi team to Pakistan but not the cricket team. If you want to cut ties, then stop everything.”

Tensions between Pakistan and India have intensified after militants opened fire at a well-known tourist site, killing at least 26 individuals and wounding several more.

The attack happened on Tuesday, April 22, at Pahalgam, a popular destination in Indian-occupied Kashmir that welcomes thousands of tourists each year.

Former Pakistan cricket team captain and iconic all-rounder Shahid Khan Afridi has said that if he had the influence, he would have been the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) by now.

While speaking to the media in Gilgit, Afridi reflected on the current state of Pakistan cricket. He remarked, “If I had influence, I would be the PCB Chairman today. During our time, the national team had many match-winners, but that’s no longer the case.”

He said, “Players in Under-16, Under-17, and Under-19 setups need proper training, which can only be achieved through strong, skilled individuals working at the lower levels of the cricketing system.”

Commenting on domestic cricket, the former captain criticised the involvement of bureaucrats in technical cricket matters. “If you hand over the domestic cricket structure to a bureaucrat, no one will understand how it should run,” he stated. Afridi also expressed his concerns about the politically influenced appointments in the PCB, saying, “Every PCB Chairman is appointed on political grounds. Changing faces won’t change the system.”

He further added that if genuine cricketing talent exists in Gilgit-Baltistan, it will not be wasted. “If I ever become part of the PCB, I’ll join for the betterment of Pakistan cricket. I won’t need any contracts or personal benefits,” Afridi concluded.

Earlier, Shahid Afridi advised Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi to appoint the right people in the right positions.