Wednesday, April 8, 2009

And you thought you knew everything about Shahid Afridi

It is no secret that Shahid Afridi's test record is better than his ODI record.

That Afridi is not considered a test player, is also known to all of us.

Everyone also knows that Afridi has 5 centuries in the 26 tests that he has played.

However, there is one fact that I did not know.

And I am quite sure that many of you did not know this either.

But Andy Zaltzman did!

Those 5 centuries that Afridi has in 26 tests is more than what Ponting, Tendulkar, Lara, Inzamam, Dravid, Gooch, Yousuf, Gower, Kallis, Jayawardene, both the Waughs, Saeed Anwar, Sangakkara or Hayden had in their first 26 tests!

Boom Boom!

Zaltzman points out another interesting fact when he goes on to mention that Afridi dismissed Tendulkar three times in two Tests in 2005, which is as many times as Warne managed to dismiss Tendulkar in his entire career.

Afridi also took a 5 wicket haul against Australia on test debut - I knew that! Who else can stake claim to such a feat?

Zaltzman concludes in what is one of the best summaries of Afridi's career that I have read.

"Afridi arguably had the potential to be Pakistan’s Sehwag and Kumble rolled into one explosive package, but it has proved impossible to predict whether he will blast an incredible hundred, swipe a less-than-incredible nought, spin out the world’s best batsman, get smashed about by Matthew Hoggard, retire, unretire, almost hit a spectator with a ball, almost hit a spectator with a bat, or audition for a part in the PCB’s annual charity ballet by pirouetting in the middle of the pitch."

Well after this ofcourse!

Make your pitch on this post...



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10 Pitched:

  1. Gaurav Sethi said...
     

    must have made yr day Q.

    afridi should give test crick another shot, start from scratch, play the U19s

  2. Gaurav Sethi said...
      This comment has been removed by the author.
  3. Gaurav Sethi said...
     

    Q, have a look, a sehwag-afridi piece from another age

  4. Q said...
     

    I've read ur piece before NC.

    And yep it did make my day. And Zaltzman chose Afridi as the captain of his unpredictable XI - made two of my days!

  5. Viswanathan said...
     

    Good to hear something positive about Afridi.

    However, I believe he is more interested in (cricket) politics and has vaulting ambitions to captain Pak.

    That is why his performances have been mercurial.

    BTW,all set for the series?

  6. Q said...
     

    Ott - I always have something positive to say abt Afridi :-)

    Disappointed that Ponting, Johnson, and Warner not coming but besides that yep all set!

  7. Aashrey said...
     

    Didn't amit mishra pick up a fiver on debut against Australia?

    Anyway, good on Afridi :)

  8. straight point said...
     

    one day, with so much of technology going on, we might see what happens inside his head...

  9. Q said...
     

    Aashrey, I said not many - so Mishra is part of the not many ;-)

  10. Q said...
     

    SP, its a pathan's head - even technology will not detect any activity inside!

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