Kolkata: I would never hesitate calling him a legend. Yes, he may have lacked the greatness of a Sachin Tendulkar or the potential of a Wasim Akram, but both with the bat and the ball, Shahid Afridi has always been a force to reckon with. Today, February 20 will always be remembered not just by Pakistani cricket fans, but also fans worldwide because the swashbuckling Pathan has announced his retirement from international cricket.
Was he forced into retirement? Well, it’s a question that will remain unanswered, but it remains a fact, that the 36-year-old nurtured hopes of prolonging his career in the shortest format of the game. Afridi’s retirement will, out of all reasons raise a pertinent question: Do cricketers in the sub-continent get the respect once they are past their prime? Now, I can give you plenty of examples of biggies who have had to face humiliation. For all we know, Afridi wanted a farewell game from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), but the request was not heeded. Perhaps, out of that frustration, the former Pakistani skipper finally decided to hang up his boots.
Back home. Kapil Dev was almost a burden for the Indian team and was only given a long rope so that he could go past Richard Hadlee’s record of maximum Test scalps. Mohinder Amarnath retired silently. No, he did not get his due despite being one of the greatest batsmen India has ever had. It may be an exaggeration but there were reports that even Sachin Tendulkar was ‘asked’ to retire, and the Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) decided to host West Indies for a two-Test series to mark the ‘graceful’ exit of the Little Master. How can we forget Sourav Ganguly who had to prematurely end his international career in 2008 at a time when his contemporaries like Rahul Dravid, VVV Laxman and Tendulkar were very much in India’s scheme of things.? Laxman faced the same fate, when despite being selected for the Test series against New Zealand 2012, he announced his retirement. The situation was such that Laxman thought of bidding farewell.
Let’s not forget, MS Dhoni, who according to some reports, was asked to step down from the captaincy in ODIs and T20 Internationals. We don’t know the truth, but to blame the media all the time is also not expected. There is no smoke without fire. To make matters worse, Dhoni has been removed as the captain of his Indian Premier League (IPL) team, Rising Pune Supergiants.
To take Afridi’s case, he did deserve a farewell match. His contributions to Pakistani cricket can never be overlooked. Both with the bat and the ball, Afridi has won Pakistan innumerable matches. When his batting failed him, he held on to his place in the ODI and T20 sides as a bowler. Well, Afridi may not have been as big a match-winner as Akram or Imran Khan or Inzamam-ul-Haq, but for years, he has been an important member of the Pakistani team in ODIs and T20s. To play 398 ODIs and 98 T20 Internationals, you need talent.
Afridi was special in his own way. His aggression on the field which has run him into trouble on quite a few occasions stemmed out of the urge to give his best for his nation. But has the PCB given him his due? No. But Afridi, who smashed a 37 ball hundred in an ODI, would consider himself lucky that he didn’t have to face the ignominy of struggling on the field leaving his fans shattered. Perhaps, the Chairman of selectors, Inzamam ul Haq could have taken the initiative to get Afridi a farewell series. But, he preferred to look the other way.
Talking of rough handling of senior players, in one sense the players are also to be held responsible. Remember the sight of an over-aged Javed Miandad trying to put up a fight against India in the quarter-finals of the 1996 World Cup? The man, who has single-handedly turned Pakistan’s fortunes so many times, looked a pale shadow of the arrogance he once displayed on the field. Even Kapil was struggling towards the twilight of his career, yet he carried on in pursuit of the coveted world record.
To be precise, it has to be a two-way game. Cricketers need to know when to bid adieu to the game, similarly, the board has to ensure that someone does not take the exit route with a heavy heart. Next in line seems to be Misbah-ul-Haq, who is facing an imminent threat to his position in the Test side after some abysmal performances. Let’s hope, he reads the writings on the wall and takes the right call at the right time.
Before winding up, many congratulations to Afridi on a memorable career. Yes Boom Boom Afridi will be missed by his fans all over the world.