“I have said goodbye to international cricket. I have played with seriousness and in a professional way for my country,” said former Pakistan captain SHAHID AFRIDI in Sharjah.
Shahid Afridi retires! He actually retires again. This time for sure, following a public announcement at the end of a Pakistan Super League (PSL) match in Sharjah. His legion of fans must be disappointed. They would never get to see an entertainer like this Pathan who firmly believed the ball was only meant to be hit hard and dismissed into orbit.
Afridi’s association with cricket goes back 21 years when he made his debut as a bowler against Kenya in the KCA Centenary Tournament. In the next match, and his first innings (he did not get to bat in his debut game), Afridi plundered a 37-ball century against Sri Lanka. Afridi as a batsman was what appealed to the cricket world more in times to come.
AFRIDI AS A BOWLER was crafty too at times but it was his brand of batting that gave this exciting stroke-maker a distinct identity. He was regarded a tough bowler to tackle because he brought variety to his leg-spin. Some of his deliveries would crash into the pads with the speed of a fast bowler.
I met him first in 1998 in Toronto for an interview for The Sportstar. I was warned not to shake hands because he could leave you with a hairline fracture with his extra-firm grip. He came across as a fun-loving and honest cricketer. “We can talk but only in Urdu. I am not comfortable with English,” he smiled and spoke his mind on the game.
Esta historia es de la edición March 11, 2017 de Sportstar.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición March 11, 2017 de Sportstar.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Tokyo Marathon Cancelled For Amateurs On Coronavirus Fears
Organisers in Japan cancelled the amateur portion of the Tokyo marathon, affecting around 38,000 runners, on fears about the spread of the new coronavirus in Japan.
Right Criteria To Pick The Tennis GOAT
What should the criteria be? What weight should be attached to each criterion? And what should not be considered as valid criteria?
The making of a batting behemoth
If Steve Smith dominated the Ashes in England in a dramatic, blockbuster fashion then his like for like a replacement, Marnus Labuschagne, is the Next Big Thing after an exciting summer of run-glut.
WHEN ACES WERE REWARDED...
It was an evening of nostalgia and celebration when the Sportstar Aces awards were given away in Mumbai.
A question of recognition
After a week of awards, one wonders if it’s only a departed player that one will be named after.
Thinking straight, thinking right!
“A lot depends on when I am bowling and what is required from me. That’s something I do when I play for India and I try to follow the same thing in the domestic circuit,” says Yuzvendra Chahal.
The Big Three and the Next Gen
Though the Big Three are very unlikely to retire during the same year, Judy Murray, mother of Andy, echoed the sentiments of many fans worried about the impact of their departures.
WAKING UP TO MENTAL HEALTH
Sport at large and cricket specifically has taken an inordinately long time to address the elephant in the room — the dark abyss of depression.
Like sunshine in a gloomy dressing room
Bangladesh quick Abu Jayed Rahi is new in the red-ball arena, but his swing brings back old memories — of James Anderson on green tops.
The league of the masses
With traditional clubs locking horns with the hard-working nurseries of the game, the I-League will continue to keep the beating heart of Indian football alive despite official apathy.
