Shahid Afridi says Karachi's poor infrastructure forced him to leave the city

Shahid Afridi has revealed that he left Karachi because of the city's deteriorating infrastructure, saying he feels disappointed that conditions have failed to improve despite years of construction and investment.

Speaking in an interview with Fawad Alam, the former cricket captain reflected on Karachi's declining infrastructure, compared the city with Islamabad and Lahore, recalled his cricketing upbringing, discussed the 2010 spot-fixing controversy, addressed criticism of Babar Azam and offered advice to young cricketers.

Afridi began by praising Karachi's people but said relocating to Islamabad was necessary for a better quality of life.

"I get ashamed coming back after so long and expecting better roads, but I am sad to say that what people say could have been Paris—which I laugh at—is now areas like Korangi and University Road. I don't know how long the construction has even been going on for," he said.

He added that leaving his hometown was not an easy decision.

"It was a difficult choice to leave Karachi, the city that I grew up in. It is an amazing place with amazing people, but Islamabad's infrastructure and foundation are better. Having easy access to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Lahore through the motorway is also convenient."

Afridi also questioned why Karachi's roads remain in poor condition despite significant investment and years of development work. "There is so much money for properties to be made, and there has been construction going on for so long, but the roads are still in such a bad state."

However, he acknowledged that some infrastructure projects have been positive, specifically mentioning the Shahrah-e-Bhutto Expressway.

"Yes, there is Shahrah-e-Bhutto. I'll admit that there is some good work. However, there is a lot more to be done. I do not think that only one or two projects can satisfy the people. Karachi is a huge city."

Beyond discussing Karachi's challenges, Afridi reflected on the city that shaped his cricket career. "Karachi had a cricket craze. My neighbourhood would play cricket all day and there were many role models to look up to, such as Imran Khan. I started as a fast bowler before trying spin. I used to train with Mohsin Rasheed."

He added that club cricket in Karachi was highly competitive and drew significant crowds. "Karachi had top-level cricket, so earning a place in a club was a big achievement. People would come to watch our matches, and even top first-class cricketers played club cricket. That's where cricket became a part of my life."

Afridi also revisited the 2010 spot-fixing scandal, describing it as one of the most difficult periods of his career as Pakistan's Test captain.

Referring to the scandal involving three Pakistan players who were found guilty of deliberately bowling no-balls during a Test match, Afridi said he had raised concerns with team management but felt they were ignored.

"They made me Test captain and gave me three or four people to watch. I was upset with the management because I tried to keep our youngsters away from certain people, but no action was taken. We also lost the match."

He added that the revelations came as a shock. "I did not even know what was happening in our cricket team. I couldn't believe the boys could do something like that. Now, I just try to leave those things in the past."

Addressing perceptions that he has been overly critical of Babar Azam, Afridi said his comments have often been taken out of context.

"There are some people on social media who cannot accept honest criticism and assume you are against someone. I have always said Babar is one of the most consistent players and probably the best I have seen in Pakistan. But every great player improves with time. Do you think Virat Kohli reached the top overnight? He developed over the years. I have praised Babar, Shaheen and Rizwan for a long time. I am only saying their performances should now help Pakistan win matches."

Speaking about his son-in-law, Shaheen Shah Afridi, he revealed that he had advised the fast bowler against taking on the captaincy because of the pressures that come with the role.

"I have been through the captaincy phase and the ending is never good. The blame always falls on the captain. They have to worry about their own performance, the team's performance and face the media."

He added: "I tried to discourage him, but he wanted to lead Pakistan, and that is every player's dream. There is nothing wrong with that. It is just a very difficult position. If you are not given the proper authority as captain, I think that is wrong."

Afridi concluded by encouraging aspiring cricketers to prioritise hard work and discipline over social media.

"If you want to become a cricketer, dream big and aim to play for Pakistan, not just settle for a small job. Dreams are important, but there are no shortcuts. If you want to play cricket, focus only on cricket. Stay away from social media because very few people can handle its pressure. In difficult times, it can make you retreat into your shell. My advice is to put social media aside and focus on your game first."