Shahid Afridi: “I started playing cricket by watching Imran Khan. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have become a cricketer”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Iconic Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has revealed that he “wouldn’t have become a cricketer” had it not been for Imran Khan.
Imran is one of the most iconic players the country has produced as he captained Pakistan to World Cup glory in 1992.
Additionally, the 72-year-old is widely regarded as the best all-rounder in Pakistan cricketing history.
Imran, who served as Pakistan’s Prime Minister, featured in 88 Tests and scored 3,807 runs, which included six hundreds and 18 half-centuries, at an average of 37.69.
He also took 362 wickets at an average of 22.81.
As for his ODI career, the Lahore native amassed 3,709 runs in 175 matches, which included a century and 19 fifties, at an average of 33.41.
Bowling-wise, he finished with 182 wickets at an average of 26.61.
Afridi recalled watching Imran when he was young, which ultimately inspired him to chase his dream of playing cricket for Pakistan.
“I started playing cricket by watching Imran Khan. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have become a cricketer,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
The Pakistan team recently toured Australia and came away with mixed results as they won the ODI series 2-1 but lost the T20Is 3-0.
They then headed to Zimbabwe and triumphed 2-1 in both the ODI and T20I series.
Following this, Pakistan went to South Africa and kicked off their tour in disappointing fashion as they lost the T20I series 2-0.
However, they bounced back in the ODIs and whitewashed the Proteas 3-0.
As for the two-Test series, the men in green were thumped 2-0.
Pakistan are now taking on the West Indies in a two-Test series and lead 1-0 after winning the 1st Test in Multan by 127 runs.
The 2nd Test will begin on January 25 in Multan.
Pakistan Squad for West Indies Test Series: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Kashif Ali, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Noman Ali, Rohail Nazir (wicketkeeper), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha
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