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Afridi withdraws international retirement
All-rounder says he ‘only refused to play under previous PCB management’.
Afridi insists that he is fit and can play at the international level for a few more years. PHOTO: AFP
KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has reversed his decision to retire from international cricket and has made himself available to play in limited-overs matches for the national team.
The all-rounder’s decision follows Ijaz Butt’s exit as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman after he completed his tenure on October 8. Afridi said he was fit and ready to join the team again.
Afridi had announced conditional retirement from international cricket nearly five months back after the tour of West Indies where he developed differences with former coach Waqar Younis on the selection of the playing-eleven during the tour. After speaking of his reservations publicly he was issued a show-cause notice by the PCB and was subsequently removed from captaincy.
In protest, the all-rounder announced that he would not play under a PCB set-up that was led by Butt. The board then revoked all his NOCs to play in foreign leagues, a decision challenged by Afridi in court. The PCB later gave him permission to play after an out-of-court settlement.
Now with Butt’s exit and Younis having resigned as coach, the all-rounder has announced his comeback. “I’m available to play for Pakistan,” Afridi told reporters. “I never retired. I only said I wouldn’t play under the previous PCB management. I wasn’t comfortable with them because they didn’t respect players.
“But as the board now has a new chairman and there’s a different team management, it is time to come back.”
Afridi who has not played international cricket since May said he was fit enough to play for the team.
“I’m fit and can play for Pakistan for a few more years,” he said. “I never ran after the captaincy. I just want to represent my country and can play under anyone.”
Decision hailed
Meanwhile, former cricketers have welcomed Afridi’s decision to withdraw his retirement.
“It’s a pleasant development,” former leg-spinner Abdul Qadir told The Express Tribune. “Afridi is an asset. The board should utilise him and put any previous misunderstandings behind them.”
Former captain Wasim Akram said Afridi must now enjoy the cricket left in him.
“Afridi can play for Pakistan for a few more years,” he said. “He should help youngsters with his experience.”
Another former captain Moin Khan while terming his retirement decision as an ‘emotional’ one, said Afridi is a star cricketer and the team needed him.
‘Selection not guaranteed’
The all-rounder, who has made himself available prior to the ODI series against Sri Lanka, will not be an automatic choice, according to acting chief selector Mohammad Ilyas, with whom he has not enjoyed good relations in the past.
“He’s a very good cricketer,” said Ilyas. “But we’ll need a clean chit from the PCB before considering him. His selection can’t be confirmed right now.”
Published in The Express Tribune, October 19th, 2011.
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Reader Comments (80)
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nice , welcome back
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Here we go again. This man is an opportunist without much grey matter. If at all he is to be considered for national teams he should not be given any leadership position. Best would be to dump him as an example for other schemers.
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I like Afridi as much as everyone else but i think time has come to put a lid on player power in Pakistan cricket no matter how big the player is.. Furthermore, this all retrirement and coming back is just making a bigger joke of Pakistan cricket in the world.. Retirement smbolises something and we are clearly misusing.. Its time to instill discpline in Pakistan cricket, no matter, if the price for the same is a short term crisis..
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good news
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……and its all for love of cricket.Recommend
I think Pak Team needs you urgenlty……welcome back and get ready for the title of World 20 20 Champions 2012………….Boooooooooooom Boooooooooom
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Welcome back boom boom. Dying to see you again………..
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Great news. He should join Pak team for ODI & T20 series with Sri Lanka to be played in UAE
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What else you could do Afridi? Recommend
God,…dude, your credibility hurts from all of this shifting in decisions. your retirements over the years comes back biting you Recommend
Good Decision Lala, Good Luck!
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Good decesion,…sounds little childish but got weight….
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drama queen
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Pakistan has no dearth of bowlers. So why take another bowler. He is contribution as a batsman has been meager since last 4 or 5 years. He is no more an all-rounder. What is the guarantee that he will be satisfied with the new chairman and will not announce abrupt retirement in future. By and large he has present himself as a player who speaks too much and does little to enhance team unity and confidence in players.
Every time he takes a catch or wicket he stand on the mid-pitch with his arms spread chest pumped up who thinks he has won the world and everything that his does is because of him.
He shouldn’t be playing for Pakistan anymore. But what to say. Recommend
A great news for Pak’s cricket!! =D
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Great news,thanks afridi.You are a great entertainer.we love u all.
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Well i suppose he’ll be headed to the UAE after the test series then?
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hmmm …. good news!
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Glad to hear he’s coming back – we’re in dire need of good players, especially when all the current good one’s are being side-lined in one way or the other.
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Welcome back Boom Boom…
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forgot sake have some dignity . your are acting childishly
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huhhhh!!
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yes you are left with alot of cricket still to play. welcum back
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This is very good news. I am a very big fan of Afridi ji.
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Afridi the biggest DramaRecommend
good news. we all love to afridi
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please dont come back…..vanish forever
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Well done Dear ,,, Good news after a long time for Pakistan . Good Decision Good LUck .
Come on Boom boom Macha day Phir SE DHOOOOOOMMM ….
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Welcome Afridi.. You are a true Muslim!
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“Shahid Afridi back”. Hopefully he does’nt mistake a cricket ball for an apple this time round.
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tnx a lot afridi i’m waiting 4 ur arraivall
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well if he is back then he should be able to secure a place in te team only after proving it in camp or domestic circuit. if he is a man of prinicples then hew will surely understand this logic too! frankly i feel we have a lot of talent and we dont need to put on pedastel people who can leave cricket implusivley as an example. on the other hand zulqarnain should never be included, i totally oppose his inclusion in the team or his say of standing true to prinicples, what if he gets approach again will he again ditch cricket and make a spectacle of the already tainted Pakistan cricket?
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Pakistani cricketer always makes fun of themselves and this is another example of this.
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welcome back.!! shahid afridi and we hope so, that you join pak cricket team soon……!!!!
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To all Afridi haters, did he not fulfil his promise of bringing Pakistan team into the semi-finals of the World Cup? we do have a habit of forgetting past too quickly (our democratic elections are a live example of that). He resigned with an agenda/protest, against the chairman, and he is following simple principles by joining back.
He is one of the few men in Pakistan Cricket Team who you can actually trust when it comes to corruption. He performs when he is in form unlike the most of our remaining team who only perform with heavy pockets.
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Thousands Thanks God Our Great player Shahid Khan Afridi Back with team.
I hope in future will be play best as before.
I pray for him Good health & success in cricket life.
Regards
Saeed
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i very hapy to shahid afridi comebacke
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You don’t need one captain for a test cricket and another for the other formats as that will be unsettling for the team. Shahid should find a place in the team on merit as an all rounder.
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we cannot forget his role of leading GREENS to semis of last world cup … his performance was one man show.
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His retirement periods are as brief as his stay at wicket. Maximum two months or maximum two overs.
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Boom Boom, only with tongue..
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@Pakistani …. your comment rocks!
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He is a match winner with the bat and with the ball….both in Tests and one dayers.. right now, he is the leading leg spinner in the world !
Good news he is back !
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@Much Amused:
i think he’s not cuz he made it quite clear frm the very begining wht he wanted & y…& he stuck 2 it, perhaps u can say he’s not tht ‘wise’ like most of us. besides v as a nation r known 2 disgrace our heroes.
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@Enlightened:
u call yurself enlightened, i m surprised, by sayin u dont need separata captains in different formats, man u need 2 get out of dark ages. the game movd on, so shud u as well.
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Pakistani cricketers must be taught the definition of the word “retirement”.
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Pakistan has no dearth of bowlers. So why take another bowler. His contribution as a batsman has been meager since last 4 or 5 years. He is no more an all-rounder. What is the guarantee that he will be satisfied with the new chairman and will not announce abrupt retirement in future. By and large he has presented himself as a player who speaks too much and does little to enhance team unity and confidence in players.
Every time he takes a catch or wicket he stands on the mid-pitch with his arms spread chest pumped up who thinks he has won the world and everything that the team does is because of him.
He shouldn’t be playing for Pakistan anymore. But what to say.Recommend
welcome back shahid afridi i love you very much
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Welcome back Afridi to Pakistan National Cricket team.I hope you will give good service to national team.Best Best Best luck for future.
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Tiger is back now. YAY. I will be more happy if Ammir comes back to Paki team.
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Afridi is back good news because PCB chairman has left:)
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Thanks Afridi ur the best and can play excellent ur star of criket
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Afridi has all the ingredients to become a successful politician and might replace ‘Dr Malik’ as Interior minister one day.
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whilst i have had my anger at afridi …. will he ? wont he ? …. actually now the truth comes out in particular with the court case in london re salman butt and mo asif – it is clear that in association with other players in the team they tried to remove afridi because he would not corrupt himself to undermine his or other players performance for money – this shows me that afridi and younus khan could not be corrupted – as we all face at work or in a team because of peer pressure it is very difficult for people to say what really is going on and in a round about way give their reasons – like younus did after pak won the 20/20 he said he was no ones puppet – all those named in the court should be banned for life – except mo amir because of his age and circumstance that he was in the middle of a corrupt ring around him and temptation was too much
lastly i would reming all of the semi final match against the indians which pak lost …….. tendulkar was dropped 4 times !! ,,,,,,, they were embarassingly easy catches (except the one younus dropped which was hit like a bullit) …. who took the catch to get rid of him ? afridi !!! ……… now we hear the players were willing to lose a test match !! for £1.2m ……. how did we lose a won test match against australia last year ? i am a fanatic pak supporter i have spent hundreds of pounds going to games in england … bought their shirts ….. followed them abroad …… even swallowing my pride and subscribing to an indian channel cos they were the ones showing the pak series when so called pak channels ary and geo couldnt be bothered ………. how do you think it makes me feel ? especially when i was gutted and sick to my stomach when they lost to the aussies a test match which should have been a walk over ? …….. i know what i would do with all those corrupt players ……….. and all of you probably would do the same !!Recommend
No dignity in Pakistani Players.
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Afridi is a good politician.
He should join MQM.
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Excellent news that my mighty Pashtun Lion Shahid Afridi is back on track ! Looking forward once again to see darling Boom Boom play on an international level :)
Welcome Back Sweetie :)
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Welcome Back Shahid Afridi ! Wishing you much love, luck & success for the coming days :)
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Shahid is one of the great player in pak team. When he announced his retirement from international cricket I was deeply shocked. PAK team need Shahid services and we all time pray for PAK team and have good wishes with Shahid. Butt not only destroyed the Pak cricket but also many legend crickters of the side. I consider him mad and totally mental. SHAHID unite the team again and lagay raho. PAKISTAN Zindabad
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Think 100 times before you take a decision, once taken stand to it firmly. I like you personally but i would like this too if you develop some credibility of your personality. Recommend
good news for all cricket lovers. PAKISTAN ZINDABAD, LAGAY RAHO SHAHID UNITE YOUR TEAM
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@Mjmannish:
so biased of you mr
every one has his own way of celeberation
what is your problem
you just narrow minded
look at his batting performance in last four to five years and you will remember the T20 world cup of 2007 and 2009 as well. in 2007 he was man of the tournament and in 2009 every one know his batting in semi and final
have you forgotten the last asia cup in which he scored two tons which also include one against sri lanka
i think you also have forgotton his perfromance in new zealand and england as well
please watch the highlights of those series to correct your information
and i think you also have forgotton his 21 wickets in the world cup……….. the highest in the WC
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Paki Tiger Bounced Back!!!!!
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A clean Guy that has given the Pakistani side Records. He should be respected for his Clean career atleast !!
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Assalam-o-Allaikum Warahmatullah.After being rejected from IPL (the game of becoming millionaires) now Shahid Afridi is considering and presenting himself for PCB and Pakistan Cricket Team.What a funny cricketer Shahid Afridi is and now has been!!!!
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I think he needs money…
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GREAT NEWS FOR ME.بوم بوم افریدی
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‘ O bale bale ‘ lala is back ‘ i love u boom boom and love my cute cute cute pakistan ‘ go ahead and rock the world ‘ ” PAKISTAN ZINDABAD “
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IT HAPPENS ONLY IN PAKISTAN!
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welcome Shahid bhai and i really love you
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Great news for all Shahid Afridi fans! :)
Now that Shahid Afridi can once again play on an international level representing Pakistan, I know he has lots of ideas on how to improve the system. I hope he can surround himself with like minded individuals and implement his ideas/view points/suggestions into hard policies for the betterment of cricket. Cheers for Boom Boom!Recommend
I have probably lost that little bit of respect I had for you.
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Nice decision by afridi. He should be selected for ODI series versus Sri lanka. We want more from afridi.
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Afridi coming back is a good news….in fact, we’ve had two good news lately since Ijaz But also decided to finally leave the PCB.
For me, this article provides words to every Afridi Fan,
Shahid Afridi – Reliving Our Childhood
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The pathan tiger is back, watch-out Boom Boom…..Love it
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Pakistani team needed Afridi :).. I’m happy he is back.Recommend
Afridi wants to take one more bite out of cricket (balls)
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And yet another (predictable) twist in the Afridi soap opera.
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good news for pakistan cricket and world cricket fans(like me)
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well come tiger :) wish u luck
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