5 unforgettable cricket matches of Shahid Afridi's career
As Shahid Afridi bids good bye to the stage for the final time, here are five great knocks of the Pakistani cricketer that would be fondly recalled by the young generation
Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on February 13, 2022. He made the announcement in a video he shared. He said his lower back pain, the injury that he has had for the past 15 years, is the reason he is leaving in the middle of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
In a glorious career that spanned 26 years, Afridi made his name in the international arena. His international career came to a halt in 2017 when he announced retirement from all forms of cricket. In 2015, he retired from One Day International cricket (ODI).
In the last 11 years, Afridi announced his retirement five times. The Pakistani cricketer had no baggage of the past, no pressure from his team, and he had the chance to script his own destiny.
PAKISTAN'S LALA
The Pakistani all-rounder famously known as Lala in his backyard, has a tremendous fan following on his soil. Especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, when Afridi was on the ground, he got a thunderous welcome from the crowd.
An explosive batter who wouldn’t wait to hit, Afridi from his early days itself played aggressively. He won his team a number of impossible matches and then he was accepted the way he was.
Afridi enjoys a massive fan following all over the world. The Aussies called him 'Dynamite Kid'. Former Indian cricketer Ravi Shastri gave him the 'boom-boom' title from the commentary box. In fact in India too, Afridi has a huge fan following.
He has delivered unbeliveable knocks over the years in his career. He leaves an enviable legacy behind.
Here are 5 cricketing bests from Afridi which GenZ and millennials will remember him by:
THE ASIA CUP 2014 FIASCO
The young generation of us Indians would remember Afridi for the two sixes he hit against India in the Asia Cup Final in 2014. Chasing a target of 245, Afridi scored 34 of 18 deliveries. With the Indian bowlers bowling a superb spell, the contest was down to 10 runs in the last over. Right arm off-break bowler Ravichandran Ashwin was given the bowl by captain Virat Kohli.
Pakistan was down with 235 for 8 and Afridi was on the non-striker’s end. Ashwin got Saeed Ajmal on the very first ball. With only 1 wicket remaining, India were an inch closer to victory. On the next delivery, Junaid Khan took a single. Afridi was back on strike. In the next two deliveries, Afridi hit two massive sixes, ending India’s Asia Cup quest.
All of it happened so quickly that the Indian fans were stunned while the Pakistani team was out to celebrate. Though it was a good match, it was an unforgettable ending for the Indian fans.
FASTEST CENTURY IN CRICKET HISTORY AT 16
The young Shahid Afridi took the cricketing world by storm when he smashed 100 off just 37 deliveries against Sri Lanka in 1996 in an ODI match.
Against Afridi stood the might of legendary right arm off-break spin bowler Muttiah Muralidharan and left-arm fast medium bowler Chaminda Vaas. But Afridi, who was known for his hitting prowess, kept going down the track and hit the ball out of the park. By the time his innings ended, Afridi had sent a signal across to the world that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa champ was going to stay for a long time.
The record stood unbroken for 17 long years, and was finally broken by Corey Anderson of New Zealand in 2014.
102 OFF 45 AGAINST INDIA IN MOHALI IN 2005
Afridi’s knock of 102 off just 45 deliveries against India would also be remembered for a long time. Pakistan had lost the previous series to India a year ago. This time, in the 5-match series, the scores were levelled at 2-2. It was all down to the final where Afridi went wild against Indian bowlers. Chasing a target of 249, Afridi scored 102 off 45 deliveries and won the match for Pakistan.
LORDS 2009
Another memorable game of Afridi which people would remember him for is the 2009 T-20 world cup against Sri Lanka. Chasing a target of 138, Afridi made 54 off 40 balls. Hitting the winning boundary, Afridi also took Pakistan to an ICC event victory after the loss to India in 2007 T-20 World Cup finals.
THE ALL-ROUNDER AFRIDI
Besides being an aggressive batsman, Afridi was a good leg spinner too. He imitated the famous Pakistani leg spinner Abdul Qadir, whom he admired a lot. Australian cricketer Steve Smith in 2018 had called Afridi a “terrific leg spinner”.
One such famous bowling spell of Afridi was in 2013 against West Indies in Guyana. Afridi with the bat hit 76 runs, but he also bowled a superb spell where he took 7 wickets, giving just 12 runs. The whole West Indies team was all out on 98 and Pakistan won the match.
Afridi, who has had a terrific run with the Pakistan team, has not revealed his future plans. He might take on the coach's mantle of Pakistan team, just like his peers Waqar Younis, Misbah-ul-Haq and Mohsin Khan.