Pakistan need 49-off-19-2-for-27 Shahid Afridi in all their ICC T20 World Cup 2016 matches - GoFrnzy.com

Pakistan need 49-off-19-2-for-27 Shahid Afridi in all their ICC T20 World Cup 2016 matches

Pakistan need 49-off-19-2-for-27 Shahid Afridi in all their ICC T20 World Cup 2016 matches

Shahid Afridi is a person who makes his presence felt whether or whether not he performs. His quotes, his captaincy, his performance — they have all been scrutinised over time. Being the senior-most player of the Pakistan side and the captain is something that ought to be taken seriously. One needs to perform to retain his spot in the team, but Boom Boom has more work to do. There is more to crash, bang and wallop when you are leading a side. Whether a side wins or loses, a lot of the praise or flak comes on the captain. But is it not too cruel, too unfair to blame the captain at times for the particular, thereby curbing his natural game? Full Cricket Scorecard: Pakistan vs Bangladesh,14th T20 Match, Super 10 Group 2, ICC T20 World Cup 2016

Afridi had been out of form for a long time. Asia Cup 2016 demanded a standout performance from the captain. He failed, but he was not the only one to do so, nor was his failure the only reason behind Pakistan’s poor show. One evident point was their unstable top order. Following Ahmed Shehzad’s axing Pakistan tried several options, based a lot upon their PSL performances. The scenario went on to turn bizarre and unsuccessful, thereby compelling selectors recall Shehzad. Throughout this period, Pakistan top-order had failed time and again. None of the players in particular were consistent in every single match, Mohammad Hafeez was the only constant option.

The middle-order, largely Shoaib Malik and Sarfraz Ahmed, did some justice to Pakistan’s reputation. Not Afridi. It did not help when Pakistan kept losing in Asia Cup 2016. People drew comparison with the likes of MS Dhoni, who successfully leads their sides and scores runs. Afridi is 36. People say he is experienced. They say he should use his experience to improve the performance. Unfortunately, they do not realise that age often drains one of his abilities.

All these are mere words. If one is in the international circuit, one cannot block a youngster’s place. At 36 one needs to deliver consistently. It used to be “if he still can do what he used to do” till yesterday; the performance against Bangladesh (49 off 19, 2 for 27), has probably changed that to “Yes, he can, and needs to.” No player intends to score a duck or go wicketless. Having said that, he has been doing that far too often now. The team needs a mentor after the already disturbed balance; following the bowling ban on Mohammad Hafeez, they lacked the leader, the match-winning all-rounder.[sc:afterFooterAd]

It is up to Afridi now, whether he would deliver more often, or give in to temptations time and again. There will be some calling for his head even now. But… does the team have someone who can take on all the blame games and reply with such a performance? Can Pakistan find an all-rounder to replace him? Pakistan have won ICC World T20 just once, in 2009, where Afridi took an important wicket and scored 54 not out in the final to take his side to victory. He will have to repeat that in this season as well.

But, the question is, who after Afridi?[sc:afterFooterAd]

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