Is the time right for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482 to say goodbye – Opinion
The warning bells are ringing for the man known as Boom Boom, because after a dreadful run of form, he has been discarded from Pakistan’s tour of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 in particular, as he has been
an impeccable part of the national team for over a decade.
However, seems like age has finally caught up and the all-rounder, who was once feared by bowlers from every part of the world and whose dismissal has often emptied the stands, is probably wondering if he needs to say goodbye to the game, or salvage some
pride by making a strong comeback in the next few months.
Either way, Afridi will be the talk of the town for quite some time, as most Pakistanis are still absorbing his axe from the national squad that is to leave for India.
He made the T20 team which will be playing two games against their arch rivals; however, it would have been wise to retain him in the ODI squad while excusing his presence in the 20/20s.
It is an open secret that Afridi is a ticking bomb in the 50-over game, and he would have been extremely useful in that format instead of being wasted in the T20s.
The general perception is that the national selectors have fired a warning shot at the batsman for a series of unimpressive performances, meaning that he can still make a comeback if he scores and bowls well against the Indians in the T20s.
Still there is no definitive verdict on this particular matter, as there are no guarantees promised by the selectors.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Geoffrey-Boycott-c58776, one of Afridi’s strongest supporters had this to say about him, “Pakistan have lost out with his batting deteriorating so badly. In the early days when he was playing and batting well, he tended to believe his own publicity. People wanted
him to hit big sixes, everybody was raving for him, and he kept trying to oblige.”
Failing to even score a half-century in his last ten innings is one of the causes for his ouster, as many believe that he needs to give an explosive batting performance backed by some outstanding bowling.
Meanwhile, former wicketkeeper/batsman http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mohammad-Moin-Khan-c77092 believes that Afridi should have been included in the ODIs as he holds a psychological dominance over India, which would have benefitted Pakistan.
There are also reports suggesting that ODI skipper, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Misbah-ul-Haq-c1972, fought every hard for Afridi’s place in the ODIs, but the selectors stuck to their guns and chose otherwise.
This development in Pakistan cricket holds great significance as match-winning players like Afridi and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Abdul-Razzaq-c41623 have been discarded, giving an impression that Pakistan is aiming to induct new blood.
However, one can't stop wondering if this is the wrong time for such a move, as a huge series in India would be a terrible time for a youngster to be making his first international appearance against the mighty Indians.
It would have been wise to carry the veterans who can handle the pressure of such an event instead of ruining a youngster’s confidence if he fails against the arch nemesis.
“Old myths, old gods, old heroes have never died. They are only sleeping at the bottom of our mind, waiting for our call. We have need for them. They represent the wisdom of our race,”
Stanley Kunitz
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