Hopeful of making international comeback: Afridi

Afridi says informed PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf about his availability for selection.

LAHORE:
Former national cricket team captain Shahid Afridi said on Wednesday that he was hopeful of rejoining the team after taking back his retirement.

Speaking to the media outside the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) office in Lahore, Afridi said that Misbahul Haq had supported him during his captaincy and that it was because of the seniors that the team had made it to the World Cup semifinal.

“It is about the team and not captaincy or the seat,” said Afridi responding to a question on captaincy charges.

Responding to a question on the spot-fixing verdict, the former captain said that the case had damaged the country’s reputation, but that it was also a lesson for newcomers.


He said that he was sorry for the families of the cricketers who were found guilty in the spot-fixing case.

Afridi said that he had expressed his availability for selection to PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf and added that it was up to the selectors now.

He also expressed surprise over the resignation of Waqar Younis as coach, stating that Younis was fit and he did not see any reason for a resignation on medical grounds.

Afridi had retired in protest after he was stripped of captaincy following the tour of the West Indies earlier this year. A reported rift with then-coach Waqar Younis and the former PCB chairman Ijaz Butt also came into the spotlight.

Following Afridi’s decision to retire, the PCB said that he had breached a code of conduct by announcing his retirement and levelling allegations against the board. In response, Afridi launched legal proceedings against the PCB, which were reportedly settled out of court.

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