KARACHI, 22 June — Records are meant to be broken but some records cannot be erased from memory. Pakistanis are proud of their record-breaker master blaster Shahid Afridi, whose fastest one-day century off 37 balls against Kenya still exists and will always be remembered by cricket-loving fans of the world.
Having a strong religious family background, the Karachi-based Shahid Afridi started his cricketing career at a very early age as a bowler but was introduced to the world as batsman. His aggressive and attacking style put him in the forefront and made him popular among cricket lovers.
Shahid Afridi has become a vital cog in Pakistan cricket wheel. Despite some poor performances in recent past, he is still needed in the one-day squad.
Arab News recently interviewed Shahid Afridi and following is the text of the interview.
Q: Once again you are in, but for the one-day series only. What did you feel when you were not selected for the two Test matches series against England?
Shahid: I was terribly disappointed. I can’t understand why they have decided that I am only a one-day player. They gave me first Test chance after a long time and I did well in that series not only in batting but in bowling also. I don’t ask them to give me a chance in every match but I want to travel with the team. One can learn a lot from traveling, to see the different grounds and different conditions. I think the dressing room is the best nursery where junior players can learn a lot from the seniors.
Q: But it is said that you don’t have Test temperament. Are you satisfied with your performance at the Test level?
Shahid: I don’t agree with them. I don’t know in what context they say that. Look at my records, you will find that in Test matches my performance is much better than one-day cricket. And as far as today’s cricket is concerned I think there is not much difference in one-day and Test cricket. Most of the Test matches are completed in just three or four days. Test cricket has become fast these days, people can’t wait to see a result for five days, they like aggressive batsmen like Jayasuriya, Tendulkar and Lara.
Q: Have you changed your style or approach in the last few matches?
Shahid: As far as style is concerned, no. I continue to hit the ball as I love to. People like to see my aggressive batting. I continue to play attacking cricket, but I have changed my approach a little bit. I am looking at improvement in every aspect as a cricketer. I am concentrating on staying at the crease more and more. I don’t want to be known just as a hitter. I want to play a long innings and for that, I have to make a few changes in my approach.
Q: Who told you to change your approach, was it Javed Miandad?
Shahid: No body has told me to do so. This is my own thinking. I learnt this from my own experience. No one has told me to curb my shots. It’s my own decision to not to hit every ball.
Q: What do you enjoy most batting or bowling, or you want to be a world class all-rounder?
Shahid: I started my career as a bowler, but after that innings in Kenya (hitting a century off 37 balls) I discovered that I had the talent of batting and that world record established me as a hard-hitting batsman. People like to see my batting not bowling but I think after the popularity of One-Day International matches cricket has become more demanding. You can serve your team better if you do well in all three departments, bowling, batting and fielding. I want to be recognized as aworld class all-rounder and for that I want to work hard on my bowling.
Q: At what number do you prefer to bat?
Shahid: In one-day cricket I like to bat as an opener. I can do well at the start of the innings. Cricket in the first fifteen overs is different from the next 35. In Test matches, I like to bat at No. 5 or No. 6.
Q: How do you see the role of a coach at top level cricket?
Shahid: At the level of international cricket I don’t think a coach can play any vital role in training and coaching of the players. You can’t coach them at the stage when they are playing Test cricket. This can be done at schools and academies level. I think in a national team a coach can play the role of planner. He can make strategies with captain, manager and senior players.
Q: And what about Javed Miandad, his contribution as a coach?
Shahid: I don’t think he did something special. When he was coach we were playing the same cricket as we are playing now.
Q: How did you feel when you played that record-breaking innings in Kenya?
Shahid: It was a great thing to reach that landmark but hitting a century off just 37 ball was never my dream. Such knocks are very rare to happen. Tell me who steps on the field with a predetermined thought of smashing a century off 40 or 50 balls? No one can. But I tell you on that day I was determined to do something special to get a place in the Pakistani team.
Q: What is your assessment of the captains you have played under?
Shahid: I have played under Wasim Akram, Moin Khan, Waqar Younis and others. I think Wasim bhai is the best of them all. Wasim bhai learnt a lot from Imran Khan. He is very positive like Imran Khan.
Q: Who do you admire and why?
Shahid: For me Imran Khan was an ideal cricketer. I think Imran was the hero of a whole generation of cricketers. Imran was above every one. He was a tremendous guide. He taught the boys the importance of playing with a positive frame of mind, try and play attacking cricket. Imran was a great all-rounder, he could bat and bowl majestically. He was the king of them all. Saeed Anwar is also my favorite cricketer.
Q: What are your plans, how would you describe your current status in international cricket?
Shahid: I think I am playing well at present, enjoying the game. I want to be known as a cricketer who gave joy to the public. I want to play long for Pakistan and bring more and more laurels with my batting, bowling and fielding.
Q: Coming to your career, was your elder brother Tariq Afridi the only influence?
Shahid: Yes, the biggest influence was my elder brother Tariq. He played first class cricket and I obviously looked up to him for guidance. My father was against my playing cricket but Tariq bhai was the person who initiated me into cricket. For me he has been like my father as far as cricket is concerned.
Q: Whom would you rate as the most lethal bowler you have ever faced?
Shahid: I didn’t find any bowler difficult but in my opinion Courtney Walsh and Glenn McGrath are the type of bowlers you can’t hit with ease. You have to play them with open eyes. I think Walsh has to be rated among the best. With the new ball, he would move it. With the old ball he would move it again. He had a very sharp bouncer.
Q: What do you think of Pakistan’s future in international cricket? Who do you regard the most promising prospect?
Shahid: The future of Pakistan cricket is very bright. We have very promising youngsters. The new crop of cricketers has emerged from small towns where the craze for cricket is incredible. In my opinion Hasan Raza is doing very well, Imran Farhat, Humayun Farhat and new kids from Karachi like Masroor Husain are very promising.
Q: And what do you expect from regional academies, recently started in some cities of Pakistan?
Shahid: I think it’s a very positive move. May be in the next six or eight months cricket will become more organized. We are on the right line and every one knows the necessity of coaches in Pakistan and we are working in a very fragile infrastructure. There is a common feeling that there should be something positive coming in now.
Q: Which country did you like the most as a touring cricketer?
Shahid: I like playing in Australia. I think that is the most suitable country for cricket. The conditions, wicket, crowd and atmosphere, everything is ideal there.
Q: We have talked about Pakistani batting and bowling. But fielding is one area of Pakistani team which has always been very weak. What is your opinion?
Shahid: I think our fielding has improved a lot in recent years. We have some world class fielders in our side like Imran Nazir, Shoaib Malik and myself. But in our country where the grounds are bumpy and uneven it is very difficult to become a good fielder. How can you dive to catch a ball on these sub-standard grounds? You have to see to believe how these young cricketers in our country use up very little space available to set up their fields.
I strongly believe that fielding is a very important aspect of cricket, especially in one-day cricket, but to improve your fielding standards, you have to improve your cricketing conditions.
