- Shahid Afridi
Infobox cricketer biography
playername = Shahid Afridi
country = Pakistan
fullname = Sahibzada Mohammad Shahid Khan Afridi
living = true
dayofbirth = 1
monthofbirth = 3
yearofbirth = 1980
placeofbirth =Khyber Agency
countryofbirth =Pakistan
batting = Right-handed
bowling = Right arm leg-spin
role = All rounder
deliveries = balls
columns = 3
column1 = Test
matches1 = 26
runs1 = 1,683
bat avg1 = 37.40
100s/50s1 = 5/8
top score1 = 156
deliveries1 = 3,092
wickets1 = 47
bowl avg1 = 34.89
fivefor1 = 1
tenfor1 = 0
best bowling1 = 5/52
catches/stumpings1 = 10/–
column2 = ODI
matches2 = 265
runs2 = 5,479
bat avg2 = 23.51
100s/50s2 = 4/29
top score2 = 109
deliveries2 = 10,810
wickets2 = 239
bowl avg2 = 34.91
fivefor2 = 2
tenfor2 = n/a
best bowling2 = 5/11
catches/stumpings2 = 92/–
column3 = T20I
matches3 = 12
runs3 = 175
bat avg3 = 15.90
100s/50s3 = 0/0
top score3 = 39
deliveries3 = 273
wickets3 = 16
bowl avg3 = 18.31
fivefor3 = 0
tenfor3 = n/a
best bowling3 = 4/19
catches/stumpings3 = 3/–
date = 11 October
year = 2008
source = http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/4/4163/4163.html CricketArchiveSahibzada Mohammad Shahid Khan Afridi (
Pashto : صاحبزاده محمد شاهد خان اپرېدی,Urdu : Nastaliq|صاحبزادہ محمد شاہد خان آفریدی), born1 March ,1980 inKhyber Agency toPashtun /Pathan parents of theAfridi tribe inKohat , popularly known as Shahid Afridi (Pashto : شاهد اپرېدی) or by hisnickname "Boom Boom Afridi", is aPakistan icricket er currently playing for the Pakistani national team. He made his ODI debut onOctober 2 ,1996 against Kenya inNairobi [ [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/62/62836.html Afridi ODI Debut] ] and his Test debut onOctober 22 ,1998 against Australia at Karachi. [ [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/66/66559.html Afridi Test Debut] ] He is known for his aggressive batting style, and currently holds the highest career strike rate in the history of international cricket. In a recent survey, Afridi was named as the most popular cricketer in Pakistan. [ [http://www.dawn.com/2007/08/14/top1.htm Cricket Section] ] He is married to Nadia, and they have 2 daughters, Aqsa and Ansha [http://www.arabnews.com/?page=8§ion=0&article=66117&d=29&m=6&y=2005] .tyle
His general style of batting is very aggressive and attack oriented and has earned him the nickname "Boom Boom Afridi" for his fastest
One Day International century just in 37 balls. [ [http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/content/records/211608.html Fastest hundreds] ] As ofMay 22 ,2007 , he has an ODI strike rate of 109.38 runs per 100 balls, the highest in the game's history. This attitude has been transferred to Test cricket as well, with Afridi scoring at a relatively high strike rate of 86.13 in Tests. He has an approach to batting that can change the tempo of a game and inspire the mood of an audience, as shown when a mass exodus of spectators occurred in Pakistan in late 2005 following his dismissal from the crease. He hits many sixes long and high, favoring straight down the ground or over midwicket. A trademark shot is a crossbatted flick to the leg-side to a ball outside off stump. [ [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2622774802229026856&q=afridi Google videos] ] . This explosive style has led to some memorable shots, most notably the first ever 12 in power cricket in 2002, where Afridi successfully hit the roof. [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKo9oUAFQ_A youtube] ] However, his aggressive style increases his risk of getting out and he is one of the most inconsistent batsmen in cricket. This is reflected by the fact that he is the only player to score more than 5000 ODI runs at an average under 25. [ [http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/content/records/83548.html ODIs - Most runs in career] ]Bowling-wise, his stock ball is the
leg break , but his armory also includes the conventionaloff break and a 'quicker one' which he can deliver at nearly 80 mph in the style of a medium-pacer. He bowls at a high speed for a spinner, resulting in lesser turn, and relying more on variations in speed. He occasionally sends down a bouncer to a batsmen, which is very rare for a spin bowler. [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pOZHw631UI youtube] ]International career
In October 1996 at the age of sixteen he was brought into the ODI team as a legspinner as a replacement for the injured
Mushtaq Ahmed . He then gained notability as a pinch-hitter and began opening withSaeed Anwar . He holds the record for scoring the fastest century in One Day Internationals (off 37 balls) [ [http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/content/records/211608.html ODIs - Fastest Centuries] ] , scored in his 2nd match and first ODI innings. He also shares withBrian Lara the record for the third fastest century in ODIs (off 45 balls). One of Pakistan's most useful all-rounders, his extremely aggressive batting style has garnered him over 5000 ODI runs (including a world-record 229 sixes, now broken bySanath Jayasuriya ) as well as taking over 200 ODI wickets and 47 at Test level.For various reasons, including a perception that he lacks patience in his batting, Afridi had limited opportunity in Test matches. However, Afridi made his presence felt in the third Test against India in March 2005, scoring a quick-fire second-innings half-century and taking five wickets in the match (including
Sachin Tendulkar twice) to help Pakistan win the game and register a series draw. [ [http://www.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2004-05/PAK_IN_IND/SCORECARDS/PAK_IND_T3_24-28MAR2005.html Pakistan vs India, 28 March 2005] ]It is perceived that his batting struggles on bouncy pitches and against opponents like Australia, although his record against the Australians has improved over time. Though he has had success as an opener on sub-continent pitches, Afridi is often moved into the lower order as well.
Afridi was more consistent with his batting and bowling throughout 2005, starting from the tours of India and West Indies and into the England tour. The Pakistani coach
Bob Woolmer helped Afridi to reach a fuller potential by improving his shot selection and giving him free rein over his batting attitude.In the 2007 World Twenty20 he performed poorly with the bat but brilliantly with the ball to earn him the Man of the Series award, though he failed to take a wicket in the final and was out for a golden duck.
Temporary Test retirement and return
On April 12, 2006, Afridi announced a temporary retirement from Test cricket until after the 2007 World Cup so that he could concentrate on ODIs. Even then his performance in
county cricket for Ireland recently had declined and he bowled better than he batted. He also claimed that the workload was too much to cope with. However, on April 27, 2006, after much discussion withShaharyar Khan , thePakistan Cricket Board chairman, Afridi reversed his decision. Despite this, Afridi was later dropped from the Test team in early August 2006 after three quick-fire innings against England. He was placed well down the batting order, away from his more usual spot in the middle-order, and displayed flamboyantly reckless strokeplay on the bouncy English pitches, leading to short but entertaining innings.Career Highlights
* On
4 October 1996 , playing his maiden international innings, Afridi hit the fastest One-Day century off 37 balls against Sri Lanka inNairobi . His innings included 28 runs off one ofSanath Jayasuriya 's overs, whose record he broke. [ [http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/STATS/ODIS/BATTING/ODI_BAT_FASTEST_100S.html ODIs - Fastest hundreds] ]* Youngest player in history to make an ODI century at just 16 years and 217 days with his 37 ball ton against Sri Lanka. It included 11 sixes and 6 fours. [ [http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/content/records/282987.html ODIs - Youngest Centurions] ]
* Made a half-century from 26 balls and took 3 second-innings wickets in Pakistan's series-drawing Test victory against India in March 2005. [ [http://www.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2004-05/PAK_IN_IND/SCORECARDS/PAK_IND_T3_24-28MAR2005.html Pakistan vs India, 28 March 2005] ]
* Holds the joint record with
Brian Lara for the third fastest ODI century off 45 balls in April 2005 against India. [ [http://uk.cricinfo.comdb/STATS/ODIS/BATTING/ODI_BAT_FASTEST_100S.html ODIs - Fastest hundreds] ] This actually was the "first" match that witnessed the Indian cricketer-turned-commentatorRavi Shastri make him the nickname "Boom Boom Afridi." [ [http://content-pak.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/match/64942.html Cricinfo - 5th ODI: India v Pakistan at Kanpur, Apr 15, 2005 ] ]* Equal highest aggregate sixes scored in the 50-over game, shared the legendary
Sri Lanka n batsmanSanath Jayasuriya , and he the most sixes per innings record. [ [http://www.cricinfo.com/db/STATS/ODIS/BATTING/ODI_BAT_MOST_6S.html Cricinfo Most ODI sixes in career] ]* Scored four consecutive sixes off a
Harbhajan Singh over in a Test match against India in January 2006, matching a feat thatKapil Dev achieved in 1990. [ [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1679723395732493873&q=afridi+harbhajan Google video's: Afridi's 4 Sixes of 4 balls vs India 2005 Test Match] ]* Was the First player to score 12 runs off one ball, by hitting the roof of the
Millennium Stadium . This took place in a game ofPower Cricket .Fact|date=June 2008* Holds four of the top eight fastest ODI half centuries, twice completed in 18 balls and twice in 20 balls. He has also scored a half century of just 21 balls. [ [http://www.cricinfo.com/db/STATS/ODIS/BATTING/ODI_BAT_FASTEST_100S.html Fastest 100s/50s in ODI cricket] ]
* Made 32 runs off a
Malinga Bandara over in an ODI game atAbu Dhabi in 2007. He struck four consecutive sixes and it was the 2nd most expensive over in ODI history.*Afridi is only third player in ODI history to achieve the combination of 5000 runs and 200 wickets. The other players being Sri Lankan batsman
Sanath Jayasuriya and South AfricanJacques Kallis .Test Centuries
*In the column Runs, * indicates being not out
*The column title Match refers to the Match Number of the player's careerOne Day International Centuries
*In the column Runs, * indicates being not out
*The column title Match refers to the Match Number of the player's careerControversies
Pitch-tampering
On
21 November 2005 , Shahid Afridi was banned for a Test match and two one-day internationals for deliberately damaging the pitch in the second match of the three-Test series against England. TV cameras pictured him scraping his boots on the pitch scuffing surface when play was held up after a gas canister exploded. Afridi later pleaded guilty to a level three breach of the ICC code of conduct relating to the spirit of the game. Inquiries were made and Afridi's antics came into view. He was investigated and banned after the day's play, along with receiving a huge amount of criticism from the cricketing world for bringing the game into disrepute.Match referee
Roshan Mahanama said: "This ban should serve as a message to players that this type of behaviour is not allowed." On this Afridi accepted his fault and said that a "senior player like me should set good examples to others because they see us to learn." His behaviour was also condemned by the Pakistan Cricket Board. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/4457910.stm Afridi banned for damaging pitch] ] [ [http://www.abc.net.au/sport/content/200511/s1513162.htm Afridi banned for scuffing pitch] ] [ [http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/pakveng/content/story/226727.html Giles to fly home for hip surgery] ]pectator Incident
Afridi was charged on
February 8 ,2007 of bringing the game into disrepute after he was seen on camera thrusting his bat at a spectator who swore at him on his way up the steps after being dismissed. Replays seemed to show that the action was not meant to cause injury, though the spectator had to move out of the way to avoid contact. Afridi was found guilty and given a four-game ODI suspension, the minimum possible ban for such an offense, meaning that he would miss Pakistan's first two 2007 World Cup matches. The PCB and Afridi chose not to appeal the ban, despite feeling that the punishment was excessively harsh. It should be noted that the South African Cricket administrators and the spectator were both also rebuked for playing a part in the causation of the incident. [ [http://www.sportinglife.com/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=international_feed/07/02/12/CRICKET_Pak-Pakistan_Afridi.html Afridi calls for discipline rethink] ]ee also
*
Pakistan cricket team External links
* [http://www.shahidafridi.org Shahid Afridi Official Fan Club]
* [http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/42639.html Cricinfo page on Shahid Afridi]
* [http://www.shahidafridi.tv Shahid Afridi Fastest Hundred Video]
* [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2779702701842111805&q=Afridi Afridi pitch attack movie]
* [http://www.stickcricket.com/feature28.html Q and A from SPIN magazine, 2006]References
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