Pakistan

Afridi blasts Akhtar for abrupt retirement announcement

Afridi says Akhtar's retirement statement disturbed the players and made no sense.

Reuters April 01, 2011

KARACHI: Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi criticised speedster Shaoib Akhtar for abruptly announcing his retirement from the sport midway through the World Cup.

The 35-year-old Shoaib, who has had a rocky international career due to run-ins with authorities and disciplinary issues, said he was quitting the sport on March 17 while Pakistan were gearing up for the knockout stages of the tournament.

"I think he should have consulted us properly and made the announcement before the start of the World Cup or after it. His announcement in the middle was bad timing," Afridi said after returning to Pakistan on Friday.

Shoaib played his last match for Pakistan on March 8, when they were thrashed by New Zealand. He was not picked for any of their remaining matches.

Afridi was also annoyed with interior minister Rehman Malik, who said on the eve of their semi-final with India that a close watch was being kept on the Pakistan team to avoid any spot-fixing incidents.

"The statement disturbed all the players and made no sense. Next time people should be careful giving such statements," Afridi said.

COMMENTS (28)

Tax Payer | 13 years ago | Reply What about the BCCP controlling the player's move. Isn't there any contractual binding on retirement announcements etc or running away from the team.....e.g Zulqarnain's defection. But i do not blame anyone

Kamran | 13 years ago | Reply My question is here to all that how a organization can get progress if his leader is not participate his sound action for firm. I think that an organization can never get progress even though his team mates are reasonale persons. Same situation is here in cricket if your captain not perform you can't blame the whole team because this is clear showing that your teacher have not enough knowlede but teaching people. Afridi is a player of few balls. How can our management give responsibility of captain..? He is player of t20 matches. For God sake pls choose right person for the capataincy of pakistan. When your master blame to his team mates what you expect from normal players.

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AHZ | 13 years ago | Reply I think what shahid had done is well above his capability.

SA | 13 years ago | Reply Just one simple question: What was the purpose of delaying power play????

Hassan | 13 years ago | Reply it is the responsibility of the captain to take the whole team together rather than criticizing one player severely and supporting the other unconditionally. i love and respect lala for taking the team to the semi finals but on the other hand it was also lala who was responsible for the sad end of a legendary bowler's career.

Ahmed | 13 years ago | Reply If any thing is to be blamed, it's the Pakistani authorities. Let sports be sports and take rotten politics out of it. What's the difference between india and Pakistan? It's just a matter of governance! Thank God for the natural talent produced from the Pakistani soil. As a fan of Pakistani cricket I believe this is one of the most honorable losses that Pakistan had had for over two decades. Hats off to the team that, despite all the trouble made it to the semifinal and also were instrumental in ending the Aussie era. For once, learn to be more positive. Let the team draw strength from this tournament and move forward. "Non-pakistani supporter of the wonderful game"

Hasan | 13 years ago | Reply Doesn't suit your new found stature Captain! Let bygones be bygones...

Hedgefunder | 13 years ago | Reply @Mirza: Well stated Janaab ! Tell me the solution, please ! The state of Pakistani cricket has always been conteversial and rather obnoxious, from the people who are running the game in pakistan and those related to it also. One only has to the see reaction from pakistani officials in immediate aftermath of spot fixing affair in england !! The High commissioner of the state of pakistan and member of court of st james making absurd remarks about the innocence and conspiracy theory against pakistan!!! How ridiculas did this look in the eyes of world's media ! Please note this is a person holding the high office in world of diplomacy, not some tour manager of team!! what business was it of him to involve himself in the media frenzy, by making such ridiculas comments !!!! This is sadly the problem that pakistan faces , and there is no public relations firm on this planet that can actually enhance its image, even if it had the best people working on the project in the world and with the ultimate resources!! Only the people of pakistan can change that with long and painful path of acknowledgement and endurance to correct the attitude adapted for long time by . those appointed to the high offices, who have responsibilty to the nation and its people, which at present is discarded on their whims too often.

Zulfiqar | 13 years ago | Reply What man, what is this team made up of bunch of girls? They get disturbed over players retirement news, interior minister's statement, bunch of stressed out nannies is what they are. Don't have the mental capacity to chase a meager 260 against a weak bowling but they do have the ability to whine about every little thing. Grow up.

Afaq | 13 years ago | Reply Malik was right... All players should face a strict trail and this would be a lesson for all fixers.

Shakir | 13 years ago | Reply Shoaib took good decision...

Mirza | 13 years ago | Reply @Malik: Probably because only players and captain call it on the field during the match. Or was that too complicated for you

Hedgefunder | 13 years ago | Reply Shoaib Akhtar reminds of another Indian cricketer named Vinod Kambli. Both were very talented and gifted, came from similar social backgrounds and the Fame and big time hit their heads in the wrong way ! In vinod's case his international career came to abrupt end, due to his off field antics and behaviour and also due to lack of form, which the selectors did not tolerate. In shoaib's case the pattern is there, but PCB pampered to his whims and extended his career. He has been a liability on pakistan team on and off for long time now and was never a good peer to the new lads joining the squad, its no loss for pakistan ! its in fact good news. lastly he was too inconsistent too.

IZ | 13 years ago | Reply So much for the fabled unity of the team.... and seeing as he had the heart to excuse Misbah, Akmal and others for all their faults it seems a little churlish to make a fuss about this retirement announcement, especially coming from someone who retired from tests and test captaincy in the middle of a test series just last year. How short our memories are...

Malik | 13 years ago | Reply @Mirza: very good analysis "after the matches". Though some points were really thoughtful.

ArifQ | 13 years ago | Reply Afridi, welcome back from a rather unsuccessful tournament. If memory serves me right, you were caught on tape Twice for unprofessional and unsavory conduct, once when you tried to dig your heel into the pitch and the second time when you were captain and tried to tamper the ball by biting the ball. And, did you not also announce your retirement during the tour from test cricket and you were team captain! Brilliant

Mirza | 13 years ago | Reply Pakistanis were caught red-handed with money on tape. The people who recorded them knew fully well that unless there is fool proof evidence Pakistani players would deny it. Even though the players denied it but the facts helped the three criminals put away, at least for a short time. The decision was of the world body and not be taken lightly. Knowing it fully well, the chief law enforcement officer of Pakistan advised the players to keep it clean and be careful, as the authorities are watching. We all know that we do not obey Pakistani laws (recent example is Khan the singer) however, when out of the country we have to obey their laws whether we like it or not, especially when we are watched. Malik, should be ashamed of telling these innocent angles to keep it fair and clean. These highly educated kids have never heard about match fixiing, ball tempering, chewing, wicket digging and never been found guilty. Let us not forget our innocent baby M. Amir when to the hearing in Qatar wearing a T-shirt demanding legalization of marijuana. Having played four World Cup tournaments what has been the highest score of Afridi? A mere 37 against a weak team. So much for the Boom Boom! I am not talking about personal opinion but facts. Why was Razzak in the team? Only for a couple of overs and a couple of runs, low down in the order? Why was powerplay not taken till all the batsmen were out? Why was Misbah not asked to move his bat till after the match was decided. He did prove that if he wanted he could play some shots, but not till the garbage time. Afridi has been retired in the middle of series and come back. Leave Shoaib alone. He should not have been given his last over by any other captain. Shoaib was very upset at dropping of catches by Akmal the best wicket keeper in the world! He should have not been bowling in that mental state. Mirza, USA

Asif ilyas | 13 years ago | Reply Shahid afrid has no sense of capitancy.he lacks qualities of leading captain.he is nothing just a street player.no sense of batting and no sense of attacking captain.

Aamir | 13 years ago | Reply Its end time for Misbah, Younus and Abdul Razzak. After spending so many years in cricket, these specialist batsmen failed to lift batting line. There is a big question mark on their performance. All of them should retire now.

Ameer Hamza | 13 years ago | Reply Afridi is right. Making retirement plans in the middle of world cup sounds bad for the team.

Blithe | 13 years ago | Reply Frankly, Afridi is not captain material. He is defensive in the field (even a bowler like Shoaib does not get a slip). He does not know how to rotate bowlers (eg. Sohail Tanveer in New Zealand). He has no clue to manage the power play or use his batsmen (like the way he keeps promoting his poor batting form ahead of Razzaq). He has no clue how to manage his own innings (leave alone manage a team). The worst is that he complains and nags about his team-mates in public (he descibed that tallest bowler ever on debut: “I am really dissapointed with that guy”). In this case he really lacks character. At the same time, I love his energy levels and I think he is great individual performer, but not captain material.

Salman Shah | 13 years ago | Reply Afridi should look into his captaincy flaws and his batting skills. Shoaib did the right thing to announce it. By the way, he was too fit in the NZ match but after fight suddenly he became "misfit" for team.

Alina | 13 years ago | Reply Afridi has shown great maturity throughout the tournament and deserves the highest laurels! No matter what the outcome of the last match (semi-final) was, we all should respect Afridi and all the other players for their tremendous effort. If there has been under the table dealings then those people should be ashamed of themselves! their conscience will prick them sometime if it is not dead already and if they continue such wrong acts for the sake of money, then eventually doom and downfall will follow them. Lots of respect to all team members and especially Afridi! Well done! May God always be with you...Cricket we love you and team Pakistan too :)

Kamal | 13 years ago | Reply If I am not wrong Afridi announced his retirement from Test matches in between series and that too when he was captain.Pakistan has done well in the world cup but Just reaching the semi final has made Afridi arrogant.Sometime he is putting blame on Shoaib Akhtar sometime on Misbahul haq.What about him, 1.why he delayed powerplay? 2.Why he did not ask Mishba to speed up when he was batting with him?he was captain. 3.why he did not kept slip when India was under pressure and Ajmal was bowling 40% bowl as doosra.If you remember,there was quite a few edge going through slips??

Yasir Hasan | 13 years ago | Reply Shoaib is a limelight hungry person. It was Afridi who dragged him for the whole year. Shoaib should have consulted Afridi before the announcement.

Muhammad Sarfraz Abbasi | 13 years ago | Reply This attitude is commonly known as 'regret minmizing" u throw your failure to others rather than learning from them. For Afridi and company it should be more than enough people of the country have accepted this defeat open heartedly. Who did what and who said what was story of past when they were playing in Mohali. Afridi should learn how to deal with the rapidly changing circumstances otherwise in future he must be doing all same and still looking for an escape goat.. Country back its cricket team, we hope we'll win back lost pride of 1992.. Go ahead

bunny | 13 years ago | Reply Well Now i am thinking that SHoaib had wisely took the right decesion....Coz it shows he has no more chance left even if he does not announced his retirement.....If afridi kept going then its good....I am afraid that may be after afridi captainship may enters the akmalz house....and then all three brothers would be playing along with few cousins and street fellows...

danish | 13 years ago | Reply makes no sense for me :S Afridi I love you but you seem to be VERY CONFUSED :(

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