Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has said he will retire from Test cricket following the second Test against Australia at Headingley starting next Wednesday.
Afridi made his announcement to BBC Radio after leading Pakistan in a 150-run defeat in the first Test at Lord's. He said he no longer had the temperament for the five-day game after what was his first Test in four years.
Pakistan coach, Waqar Younis, stated that he was brought back into the test team after four years to revitalize the test team. However, this announcement has left him flummoxed. In an interview with Sky Sport's Paul Allot, he said "Afridi did not have the temperament to play the longer format of the game. He was letting the team down with some poor contributions with the bat. Thus, he decided to retire after the second test match which begins on 21st July. Afridi mentioned that he was suffering a thigh strain. If his injury does not heal in time for the second test, then they will take a call on who will be the captain. He will, however, continue to lead the team in ODIs and T20s", assured Waqar
When inquired about whether he took this decision in haste, he stated that Afridi has always acted in this way and it is an emotional decision. He has not yet informed the board about this decision.
According to an interview with cricinfo, PCB chairman Ejaz Butt has said that Afridi has officially informed him of the decision and he will meet tonight to discuss who will take over.
Meanwhile, Shahid Afridi has said that this decision was spontaneous and feels he made the right decision. "The captain should be an example for the youngsters but that was not an example. I was in two minds whether to play my natural game or whether to take my time. You can say I was weak mentally. I am just not good enough for Test cricket.
Afridi went on to say that he struggled to adapt to this form of the game and the next Test will be his last. He was not very keen to play Test cricket but the board persuaded him to see how it felt. The loss against Australia was their 13th consecutive defeat against them.
"I came back to Tests because I am doing it for the team only. If I think I am fit, I will continue playing Tests. Otherwise I will not be a burden on the side. I am struggling with a thigh injury and I need to get myself right. This may be bold but I believe Salman Butt should take over as captain", Afridi stated in an interview to Sky Sports.
Meanwhile, Yawar Saeed, Pakistan's manager, said that Afridi had a side strain and felt "that he shouldn't keep a specialist out of the side."
"He feels uncomfortable with the format so Leeds will be his last Test." Yawar said. "Salman Butt was appointed the vice-captain for the tour and he will take over unless the PCB meets and decides otherwise. "
Ijaz Butt had appointed Afridi as recently as the end of May, uniting the captaincy of Pakistan in all formats under one man again. "We must respect his decision. He came to me and told me that he feels he is not suited to Test cricket. He has taken the decision himself and it is very honest of him and so we must respect that decision."
In an interview some time back, Afridi said, "If I don't have the ability then I will leave it on my own. I did not ask anyone to forcibly give me the captaincy, nor will I forcibly captain the team. If I am good, I will prove it through my performance. If I am not good I will say good bye immediately. "
This is in stark contrast to an earlier statement by Afridi, in which he said that he was willing to captain the side 3-4 years ago. "I was ready for the captaincy four to five years ago but somebody else was appointed instead. The PCB had told me that I would be the captain but the next day they had announced that I would not be the captain," Afridi had stated in an earlier interview.
"I was really hurt. They didn't need to tell me that at all. But now a lot of water has gone under the bridge and it is a new chapter," he said.
The current scenario typifies the chaos that is still prevalent in Pakistani cricket, with administrative and performance issues following their earlier debacle against Australia earlier in the year.
Afridi made his announcement to BBC Radio after leading Pakistan in a 150-run defeat in the first Test at Lord's. He said he no longer had the temperament for the five-day game after what was his first Test in four years.
Pakistan coach, Waqar Younis, stated that he was brought back into the test team after four years to revitalize the test team. However, this announcement has left him flummoxed. In an interview with Sky Sport's Paul Allot, he said "Afridi did not have the temperament to play the longer format of the game. He was letting the team down with some poor contributions with the bat. Thus, he decided to retire after the second test match which begins on 21st July. Afridi mentioned that he was suffering a thigh strain. If his injury does not heal in time for the second test, then they will take a call on who will be the captain. He will, however, continue to lead the team in ODIs and T20s", assured Waqar
When inquired about whether he took this decision in haste, he stated that Afridi has always acted in this way and it is an emotional decision. He has not yet informed the board about this decision.
According to an interview with cricinfo, PCB chairman Ejaz Butt has said that Afridi has officially informed him of the decision and he will meet tonight to discuss who will take over.
Meanwhile, Shahid Afridi has said that this decision was spontaneous and feels he made the right decision. "The captain should be an example for the youngsters but that was not an example. I was in two minds whether to play my natural game or whether to take my time. You can say I was weak mentally. I am just not good enough for Test cricket.
Afridi went on to say that he struggled to adapt to this form of the game and the next Test will be his last. He was not very keen to play Test cricket but the board persuaded him to see how it felt. The loss against Australia was their 13th consecutive defeat against them.
"I came back to Tests because I am doing it for the team only. If I think I am fit, I will continue playing Tests. Otherwise I will not be a burden on the side. I am struggling with a thigh injury and I need to get myself right. This may be bold but I believe Salman Butt should take over as captain", Afridi stated in an interview to Sky Sports.
Meanwhile, Yawar Saeed, Pakistan's manager, said that Afridi had a side strain and felt "that he shouldn't keep a specialist out of the side."
"He feels uncomfortable with the format so Leeds will be his last Test." Yawar said. "Salman Butt was appointed the vice-captain for the tour and he will take over unless the PCB meets and decides otherwise. "
Ijaz Butt had appointed Afridi as recently as the end of May, uniting the captaincy of Pakistan in all formats under one man again. "We must respect his decision. He came to me and told me that he feels he is not suited to Test cricket. He has taken the decision himself and it is very honest of him and so we must respect that decision."
In an interview some time back, Afridi said, "If I don't have the ability then I will leave it on my own. I did not ask anyone to forcibly give me the captaincy, nor will I forcibly captain the team. If I am good, I will prove it through my performance. If I am not good I will say good bye immediately. "
This is in stark contrast to an earlier statement by Afridi, in which he said that he was willing to captain the side 3-4 years ago. "I was ready for the captaincy four to five years ago but somebody else was appointed instead. The PCB had told me that I would be the captain but the next day they had announced that I would not be the captain," Afridi had stated in an earlier interview.
"I was really hurt. They didn't need to tell me that at all. But now a lot of water has gone under the bridge and it is a new chapter," he said.
The current scenario typifies the chaos that is still prevalent in Pakistani cricket, with administrative and performance issues following their earlier debacle against Australia earlier in the year.
© CB, ~ Photo courtesy: Getty Images
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