KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi made a candid admission about past mistakes during a recent Urdu conference at the Arts Council on Saturday.
Reflecting on his cricket career, Afridi confessed to having been involved in controversial actions, such as ball tampering and scratches on the field, in his early years.
The former police officer tried to alter the condition of the ball by biting it during an ODI match against Australia at the WACA in 2010 when the team was losing, for which he was banned for two matches.
“I shouldn’t have resorted to ball handling or violence on the pitch, but at the time I did it in an attempt to win,” Afridi said.
He also weighed in on the current cricket scenario in Pakistan, especially the ongoing tussle with India regarding the 2025 Champions Trophy.
He supported the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) firm stand against India’s refusal to play the tournament on Pakistani soil.
“PCB’s current position in the Champions Trophy is good. If India does not come to Pakistan, we should also avoid going there. Standing is crucial to taking a strong position,” he said.
“The ICC needs to decide whether it wants to promote cricket for everyone or focus on money,” he added.
While discussing leadership, the 47-year-old expressed his reservations about appointing Shaheen Afridi as captain, instead advocating Mohammad Rizwan as Babar Azam’s ideal successor.
“I was not in favor of Shaheen being named captain. However, he should have been given more time to mature as a leader before taking on the responsibility,” he noted.
“Rizwan was the best choice as Pakistan captain after Babar Azam,” he added.
Afridi also discussed the instability in Pakistan’s cricket system, attributing it to frequent changes in the PCB leadership.
He urged current and aspiring players to prioritize their cricket performance over their social media presence, emphasizing that true success stems from achievements on the field.
“People tend to say what they want on social media. Criticize, but choose your words wisely,” he said.
The veteran did not hesitate to criticize some coaches from his time in the national team, describing them as “Pharaoh-like”.
“Some people couldn’t tolerate why I was on the team. When coaches are like pharaohs, it becomes very difficult”, he explained.
He also highlighted the untapped potential of Pakistan cricket, naming Saim Ayub and Aamir Jamal as two promising talents. He compared Jamal’s potential to that of former all-rounder Abdul Razzaq.
“Saim Ayub can become Pakistan’s best player in all three formats of the game. Aamir Jamal can perform in the same way as Abdul Razzaq did for Pakistan for so many years,” he said.
Afridi also reflected on the influence of Pakistan’s World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan, who inspired him to pursue a career in cricket.
“I started playing cricket by watching Imran Khan. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have become a cricketer,” he said.
Faizan Lakhani is Deputy Editor (Sports) at Geo News.
