Sharjah: Popular allrounder Shahid Afridi said he has put all off-field problems behind him after guiding Pakistan to an impressive series win over Sri Lanka.
The 31-year-old hit a fighting 75 to lift Pakistan from a precarious 120-7 to 200 before taking 5-35 to derail Sri Lanka from 155-3 to 174 all out at Sharjah stadium on Sunday, giving his team an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series.
That allround performance capped Afridi`s return to international cricket after he fell out with former coach Waqar Younis and ex-chairman Pakistan Cricket Board Ijaz Butt which saw him retire in protest.
Afridi, who only returned after Butt was replaced by Zaka Ashraf last month, said performing well is now more important for him.
"I think action speaks louder than words, a lot has been said but now I want to be a good cricketer and want to perform," said Afridi, who became the only player to score a half-century and take five wickets in the same one-day on two occasions.
His off-field problems had threatened an early finish to a high flying career during which he had been popular for his dashing strokeplay, more so among Pathans who hail from the same North-West Frontier Province in Pakistan as Afridi does.
Afridi rose to fame in his first series in 1997, hitting a 37-ball century against Sri Lanka in Kenya -- still a world record for the fastest one-day hundred.
He also holds the record for hitting most one-day sixes with 293 -- a stroke which fans always want from Afridi. And a packed 16,000 crowd, mostly Pathan expats in United Arab Emirates, was at hand to applaud every stroke Afridi played during his 65-ball knock, studded with four boundaries and three towering sixes.
"When you have a good atmosphere around you, then you try your best to deliver and I am overjoyed by the support in Sharjah where they cheered my singles so I was happy to put my head down initially," said Afridi.
Afridi said he is happy to support his captain Misbah-ul Haq.
"The way Misbah is leading, its great and the management is very good and when I was the captain Misbah was very helpful so I need to support him now he is the captain," said Afridi of Misbah who replaced him in June this year.
Afridi said as a senior player he wanted to be a role model.
"I want seniors to take more responsibility because I don`t want youngsters to be told in every meeting that they must improve, so I want to set some expmples for the new players," said Afridi.
The fifth and final match is in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. Pakistan and Sri Lanka alo play a Twenty20 in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
Bureau Report
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.