Deserve to have a befitting farewell: Afridi

Former captain hopes PCB starts a trend of providing ceremonious exits to players

KARACHI: With speculations rife on the possibility of one final comeback to international cricket for Shahid Afridi, the former captain has emphasised that cricketers who serve the country for long periods deserve a rousing send-off and likewise he hopes to have one in the T20I format.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, the seasoned all-rounder confirmed that he has discussed his future plans with Chief Selector Inzamamul Haq and the two have mutually discussed their plans ahead. “We don’t have a tradition of retiring players gracefully, which makes it tough for them to decide when to call it a day since we all have a desire of exiting on a high.

“Players must exit respectfully since the ones who serve the country with distinction deserve honour. I have had a discussion with Inzi Bhai [Inzamamul Haq] who is an elder to me and we will do what is beneficial to both Pakistan cricket and my own self.”

Afridi has also asked for a greater role by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in helping players reach amicable decisions about their retirement, since the board plays a pivotal role in determining the future of the players under its wings.  “I have always maintained that cricket board is like the head of the family and rather than communicating through media, we need to have a close knit relationship with PCB officials.”

The 36 year-old who made a record 98 appearances for the men in green in the T20I format including participation in all six WorldT20 events played to date once again stressed that he had every intention of quitting the game at the end of the prestigious tournament held in India earlier this year but the poor performance of the team quashed his hopes of a ‘happy ending.’ “I wanted to retire after the WorldT20 in India and unfortunately it didn’t pan out the way I or my fans had wished since we bowed out in the first round.”