In every international sports player’s life, there comes a point when s/he has to say goodbye to his/her career. It is evident from history that players, most of the time, try to quit at a point in time in which they are at the peak of their careers, and their resignation prompts their fans to ask in awe “Why now” instead of “Why not”.
The other day, Shahid Afridi bid farewell to international cricket after a match during Pakistan Super League second edition in which Peshawar Zalmi lost to Karachi Kings in the face of Afridi’s thrilling 50 of 28 balls. There will be many in the “Why Not” at the moment as far as Afridi’s resignation is concerned because for the last couple of years Afridi was not up to the mark, but, in reality, Afridi will be missed in the world of cricket for what he used to be in his heyday. This op-ed is an endeavor to pay tribute to Shahid Afridi for making Cricket an exciting game to watch.
Afridi kicked off his international cricket career at a very young age as a leg-spin bowler, but grabbed spotlight in his second one-day international through his batting in which he made a century of 37 balls. His record reigned over the world of cricket without getting challenged for almost one and a half decade. After setting the record, Afridi became popular among his fans for his aggressive batting style in which the balls he faced could hardly compete with flow of the runs he would add to the scoreboard through his blistering knocks. Afridi’s happy-go-lucky style of batting earned him a nickname “Boom Boom” from one of the commentators of the cricket. Though Afridi got a lot of flak for his play dictated more by sensation than by a professional approach usually at crucial points in the matches that Pakistan lost, but he, through his unique style of play, brought many laurels to Pakistan cricket which can be evidenced from his consecutive thrilling fifties in semi-final and final of 2008 T20 world cup, leading to crowning Pakistan as world T20 champion, and lately his two sixes to Ashwin in his last over in 2014 Asia Cup semi-final against India, resulting in not only Pakistan qualifying for Asia cup final but also defeating India for the first time in the history of the tournament.
Not only with the bat, Afridi also enthralled his fans with magical leg breaks, googlies, quicker ones and conventional off-breaks. In 2011 World Cup, Afridi, through his ingenious captaincy complemented by excellent bowling, helped Pakistan reach semi-finals. In the same tournament, he was declared highest wicket taker along Zaheer Khan with a total of 21 wickets. His bowling figures in overall T20 cricket are at record high.
Because of his aggressive style of batting and lethal bowling knocks, Afridi became a treat to watch among his cricket fans within and across Pakistan. Owing to his stunning cameos, Afridi added a new flair to the world of cricket which can be testified from comments of some leading players of International cricket about him. West Indian player Michael Holding said at a point that cricket would not be cricket sans Shahid Afridi. Former Australian cricket player Steve Waugh once said that he could guarantee winning world cup, had Afridi been in his team. Indian player Yuvraj Singh once commented that he could not attain the kind of popularity even after hitting six sixes that Afridi enjoys in the world of cricket. Similarly other players like Indian Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar, West Indies’ pride Chris Gayle and Australian star Shane Warne have acknowledged unique credentials of “Boom Boom” in their comments at various points in time.
With announcing his retirement now and then and demanding for a farewell match from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) contributed to scarring his image within as well as outside Pakistan. Professing of not begging for a farewell match and simultaneously declaring one his “right” are such discrepancies which have blackened his long career full of success. Further dilapidation was caused by intimidating statements like “Alhamdulillah, tum jaise dus bande main abhi bhi sambhaal sakta hoon (by the grace of God, I can still take on 10 guys like you)”.
With “I don’t think my career is over as I am enjoying myself and I will continue to play at the highest level” on one hand and “I have always noted that in Pakistan there is no tradition of players retiring gracefully, even the big names” on the other brings into limelight the poor history of communication between the PCB and its players. This gap was further vindicated by PCB Chairman Shahryar Khan’s statement on first hearing reports of a possible Afridi comeback: “When he was appointed captain, Afridi told us he would hang up his boots after the 2016 World T20. But if he has changed his mind now, he should come to me and discuss it instead of giving public statements.”
Incontrovertibly, the attributes that make sportsmen excel at their crafts and skills often turn them deceptive towards the continuously evolving demands of international sport and bitter realities of prevailing times. Perhaps Afridi, too, fell victim to onerous administration and other delusional external factors of which other national cricketers have been complaining since ever. Yet, despite anything to the contrary, Shahid Afridi was, is, and will always be a hall of fame cricketer who will be remembered by history as our beloved “Boom Boom”.