Left and RIGHT (top to bottom): Former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi mingles with young fans at a fashion store he inaugurated in Doha on Thursday night. He later posed for pictures with his fans. PICTURES: ABDUL BASIT
BY RIZWAN REHMAT
DOHA: Top Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi is eyeing the 2015 World Cup before he retires from cricket.
The big-hitting right-hander has played in four World Cup edition but has never been part of a winning side.
“Yes, I want to play the 2015 World Cup. That’s my goal,” Afridi said in an interview.
“I want to earn my place in the team on merit and then take part in the 2015 World Cup,” the 33-year-old added.
Afridi launched his ODI career with the fastest ever century scored off only 37 balls against Sri Lanka in Kenya in 1996.
He hit 11 sixes on way to the record that still stands.
“Right now I just want to make a comeback into the Pakistan side,” the former Pakistan skipper said. “First of all, I want to see out what happens in the ICC Champions Trophy. Then I want to see which event Pakistan plays, I want to be part of the team in that event,” he said.
“I can’t remember which event Pakistan plays after the ICC Champions Trophy. Maybe you can look it up.
“But I feel I am doing well with my fitness.
“I can hit form as soon as I play,” he said.
Last month, Afridi and team-mate Younis Khan were surprisingly awarded category A contract by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) plus a pay rise of 15 per cent, a move that showed Afridi was still in PCB’s plans.
Both players, with more than 500 One-Day Internationals between them, were dropped on form for the ongoing Champions Trophy in England, but are accorded monthly retainers of around $3,600 each.
Afridi was the captain of the Pakistan side that was beaten by hosts and eventual winners India in the semi-finals of the 2011 ICC World Cup.
Soon after the World Cup which ended in April 2011, the feisty Afridi lost his captaincy after altercations with then coach Waqar Younis and PCB boss Ijaz Butt.
When asked about his views on the favourites to win the ICC Champions Trophy in England, Afridi on Thursday said: “I think Pakistan is favourites to win the event. After that, it could be India or England.”
On what turned out to be a brief visit, Afridi on Thursday inaugurated a fashion store. A massive crowd turned out to see the popular Pakistan cricketer.
When his attention was drawn to the spot-fixing saga, Afridi said he could not understand why cricketers turned to corruption.
“It’s beyond me why players have to resort to corruption when they can earn good money by playing cricket honestly,” the all-rounder said.
“Cricketers can earn much through fair means because there are so many T20 leagues which pay good money to players,” he added.
In a separate interview, Afridi said that he is “working hard” on his bowling with legendary leg-spinner Abdul Qadir in a bid to regain his place in the national team.
“Although Qadir and I are different type of bowlers but his tips were valuable and I am now working hard to get that drift back into my bowling,” Afridi said.
“Before Pakistan’s next international assignment I will focus hard again on my bowling and try to get back to my best form,” he said.
Afridi also revealed that a problem in his knee had also affected his bowling.
“The problem I have faced is I am not getting proper drift in my bowling and also had a nagging knee problem. But it is now worked out,” he said.
The all-rounder said that when a player out of form people tended to notice even the smallest flaws in his action.
“But when you are in form and taking wickets people don’t notice even if you are doing something wrong in your bowling. But I am not disheartened and I am working on my bowling,” he said. THE PENINSULA
