Mark Chapman: “Growing up, I idolised Shahid Afridi because you can’t look past him in the pecking order. Everyone sort of held their breath when he walked out to bat. But I liked how Abdul Razzaq used to bat during his peak years. I really loved his batting”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
New Zealand batsman Mark Chapman has expressed his admiration for the way legendary Pakistan power-hitters Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq used to bat.
Afridi and Razzaq are renowned for being two of the top all-rounders and big-hitters the country ever produced.
Chapman pointed out that he used to idolise Afridi growing up as he exuded a certain aura whenever he came out to bat.
As for Razzaq, the 30-year-old admitted that he was captivated by the way the Pakistan great batted at the height of his career.
“Growing up, I idolised Shahid Afridi because you can’t look past him in the pecking order. Everyone sort of held their breath when he walked out to bat. But I liked how Abdul Razzaq used to bat during his peak years. I really loved his batting,” Chapman, who was born in Hong Kong, was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
The Pakistan team recently toured Australia for a white-ball series and won the ODIs 2-1 before being thumped 3-0 in the T20Is.
They then travelled to Zimbabwe and triumphed 2-1 in both the ODI and T20I series.
As for their tour of South Africa, Pakistan lost the T20I series 2-0 before whitewashing the Proteas 3-0 in the ODIs.
In the two-Test series that followed, the men in green were beaten 2-0.
Pakistan’s next assignment will be a two-Test series against the West Indies, which will take place in Karachi and Multan from January 16 to 28.
Pakistan Squad for South Africa T20I Series: Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Jahandad Khan, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan (wicketkeeper)
Pakistan Squad for South Africa ODI Series: Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan (wicketkeeper)
Pakistan Squad for South Africa Test Series: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Haseebullah Khan (wicketkeeper), Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha
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