Breaking News: Afridi Stepping Down ( again )

[saneindian]

What next? Shaoib Akhtar to be the captain? He must surely be in the mix now.

[Homerus_Unus]

Thanks u Afridi, yet again you proved yourself a brave man... Guys! all questions are right about why he took the charge at first but realistically on taking the charge he somehow thought he can do it which was obviously a not a right thinking of him... and after 1 test it got cleared on him he definitely can’t do it... Now, anyone can take a false decision and mostly in Pakistan cricket people remain stickd with their false decisions but here he straight away decided to step down which I think a brave and sincere move... past is past, I give him credit for his current decision.

How on earth can you call this brave? Your team needs some sense of stability, and your much vaunted "messiah" is scurrying off like a rat deserting a sinking ship after losing his ONLY test match as a captain. It's ONE test loss, mate, not 4 or 5 or 13, and one test loss (or win) does not determine a wrong (or right) decision. Maybe I shouldn't be quick to judge Afridi's decision, until more information is revealed about a possible PCB knee-jerk reaction to yet another loss. Then again, considering his decision to "retire" from test cricket, a few years ago, who knows if this is indeed a spineless decision on Afridi's part to distance himself from blame for future Pakistan losses. Just so you know, teams as mired as Pakistan are currently, just don't hit the ground running immediately. It takes time and requires patience to see a team rebuild and return to its glory days. It seems obvious that neither the players, nor the PCB, nor the fans seem to get the message.

[siddhu]

Some interesting quotes that I've read on the board & my own thoughts about this strange country come to my mind. Apparently in Pakistan, a) Cricketers never take a break - they retire and unretire. b) Players dont get dropped - they are banned and unbanned. c) Political leaders (ask Nawaz Sharif) are never ousted - they are exiled and unexiled. You are better off being a terrorist than a cricketer in Pakistan because: a) When you commit suicide as a terrorist you are glorified, but if you are a cricketer commiting suicide (esp against Australia) you will be stoned. b) If you drop a bomb as a terrorist you are glorified, you drop a catch as a cricketer you will be convicted. c) Terrorists at least know that they have virgins to look forward to. d) Terrorists dont get raped. e) As a terrorist you always get to play at home. So if you are growing up in Pakistan, looking for inspiration, dont bother with cricket!

:hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical:

[ludhianvi]

First Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf sidelined by the PCB.

"We requested Afridi to take on the Test captaincy and he very graciously accepted," Ijaz Butt, chairman PCB, told reporters,

Afridi asked for patience in what he accepted will be a challenging role. "As a challenge I have accepted this," Afridi said. "Pakistan needs a senior player right now to lead them and that is why I accepted this. I don't think we should have too many expectations for Test cricket right now but I will try to get our ranking up to where it should be."

"I wanted Younis to be in the team but, besides the issue of his recent form, there was also a bit of a disciplinary issue with Younis," Afridi told Geo TV. "One must understand I don't pick the team alone. The input of the coach and selectors is also involved in this process."

"I feel Afridi is the right choice for Pakistan. Although he is fit to lead in one-dayers and T20s, I have my doubts in Tests. But right now, PCB has no choice. They are short on options." Wasim Akram says the appointment makes sense in a who-is-the-alternative kind of way "Afridi has the quality to unite the team. But he will have to work for it." Iqbal Qasim, who stepped down as Pakistan's chief selector after the disastrous tour of Australia, thinks Afridi is the right man "I think the board should have done this much earlier. I don't know why they delayed it. I would also urge the PCB to name Salman Butt as vice-captain for the Asia Cup and England tour." Afridi gets support from former legspinner Abdul Qadir, a man who was Pakistan's chief selector less than a year ago "I think Afridi can follow in the footsteps of Imran Khan, who not only united the team in the 1980s and 90s but also won a lot of matches for the country." Yet another former chief selector, Salahuddin Ahmed, is even more enthusiastic about the selection "It is a strange decision and one that could badly backfire because Afridi has not been a regular Test player and his last Test was in 2006. So how can the board give him the captaincy for two very tough series against Australia and England." Former captain Zaheer Abbas is among the minority questioning the elevation of Afridi "The board has taken its decision but it is a debatable one. It is a big gamble. I think Shahid will be really tested in England as he has been out of the Test side for four years now." Aamer Sohail is another of the sceptics

"With my temperament I can't play Test cricket," Afridi said. "It is better a youngster comes in my place, probably a genuine batsman or even a genuine bowler. I picked up a side injury during the Asia Cup and unless you are 100 percent fit you can't perform in Test cricket. "I wasn't interested in playing Test cricket but the board asked me to go and take a look as they didn't have a choice. So I took up the responsibility. They asked me to take a chance and may be I would enjoy it. But I wasn't really enjoying Test cricket but I tried. I wasn't good enough. A captain should lead by example which I did not. And if I played the way I played in this match it is better to leave."

"You are right," he said. "I am coming back to Test cricket after four years and in the interim I'd played a lot of ODI and Twenty20 cricket so I came in with the same [attacking] temperament. I was in two minds. You can say I was not strong mentally."

Very bizarre turn of events and that is an understatement. Today, Rameez Raja was saying that the captaincy was kind of forced on Afrdii by the PCB and that Afridi was reluctant to accept it. Waqar Younis, when asked if he'll make Afridi change his mind, said that Afridi knows himself and his temperament.

[Guest Hiten.]

Some interesting quotes that I've read on the board & my own thoughts about this strange country come to my mind. Apparently in Pakistan, a) Cricketers never take a break - they retire and unretire. b) Players dont get dropped - they are banned and unbanned. c) Political leaders (ask Nawaz Sharif) are never ousted - they are exiled and unexiled. You are better off being a terrorist than a cricketer in Pakistan because: a) When you commit suicide as a terrorist you are glorified, but if you are a cricketer commiting suicide (esp against Australia) you will be stoned. b) If you drop a bomb as a terrorist you are glorified, you drop a catch as a cricketer you will be convicted. c) Terrorists at least know that they have virgins to look forward to. d) Terrorists dont get raped. e) As a terrorist you always get to play at home. So if you are growing up in Pakistan, looking for inspiration, dont bother with cricket!

:hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical:

[Aaku]

Some interesting quotes that I've read on the board & my own thoughts about this strange country come to my mind. Apparently in Pakistan, a) Cricketers never take a break - they retire and unretire. b) Players dont get dropped - they are banned and unbanned. c) Political leaders (ask Nawaz Sharif) are never ousted - they are exiled and unexiled. You are better off being a terrorist than a cricketer in Pakistan because: a) When you commit suicide as a terrorist you are glorified, but if you are a cricketer commiting suicide (esp against Australia) you will be stoned. b) If you drop a bomb as a terrorist you are glorified, you drop a catch as a cricketer you will be convicted. c) Terrorists at least know that they have virgins to look forward to. d) Terrorists dont get raped. e) As a terrorist you always get to play at home. So if you are growing up in Pakistan, looking for inspiration, dont bother with cricket!

:hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical:

[Holysmoke]

I think a few people praised his captaincy coz he kept 5 slips in the first innings, so he wants to retire on a "high".

[Rajiv]

:haha::haha: We miss u bumper, please spread this on shamebook

[vvvslaxman]

Do we really have to treat this as a news. ..

[asterix]

Wah re Qalandar ki Qalandari..:giggle:

[Mandrake]

"With my temperament I can't play Test cricket," Afridi said. "It is better a youngster comes in my place, probably a genuine batsman or even a genuine bowler. " Wow...Retard admitting that he's not a youngster:omg:,not a genuine batsman or a genuine bowler..that's HONESTY:hatsoff:

[Asim]

How on earth can you call this brave? Your team needs some sense of stability, and your much vaunted "messiah" is scurrying off like a rat deserting a sinking ship after losing his ONLY test match as a captain. It's ONE test loss, mate, not 4 or 5 or 13, and one test loss (or win) does not determine a wrong (or right) decision. Maybe I shouldn't be quick to judge Afridi's decision, until more information is revealed about a possible PCB knee-jerk reaction to yet another loss. Then again, considering his decision to "retire" from test cricket, a few years ago, who knows if this is indeed a spineless decision on Afridi's part to distance himself from blame for future Pakistan losses. Just so you know, teams as mired as Pakistan are currently, just don't hit the ground running immediately. It takes time and requires patience to see a team rebuild and return to its glory days. It seems obvious that neither the players, nor the PCB, nor the fans seem to get the message.

Man it is a brave decision in the sense that in Pakistan cricket usually no one takes the blame on his own and no one accepts his fault but he openly accepted that he misfits in a test squad which actually he judged better after playing a test match... Here He could have easily given an excuse that we lost due to poor batting lineup and because we were missing Younis/Yousuf and even everybody was ready to accept this excuse but he thought beyond it and he accepted that he don’t have ability to lead a test team at least (even if they get Yousuf and Younis in the squad), also he accepted that a captain should always be a role model and he is never a test team role model in any aspect... So I think he deserve some respect on this decision...

[asterix]

Then he should'nt play the next test, if he is so brave. Fat chance, he might not be even selected for selfishly dumping the team in a series comprising of only 2 test matches..It's a 5 test series. It's just an effing 2 test series!! He is not brave. He thrives on Hype, Beastiness, Boom-Boomness, **********ess..For him Hype is more important and he will not let losses in test matches denting his aura...

[TSAG_RGB]

Nah its a good decision. He knows he sucks and is stepping out of the way for someone who actually deserves the spot

Had this epiphany only after playing the Lords test? He should have refused the captaincy in the first place.

[siddhu]

Man it is a brave decision in the sense that in Pakistan cricket usually no one takes the blame on his own and no one accepts his fault but he openly accepted that he misfits in a test squad which actually he judged better after playing a test match... Here He could have easily given an excuse that we lost due to poor batting lineup and because we were missing Younis/Yousuf and even everybody was ready to accept this excuse but he thought beyond it and he accepted that he don’t have ability to lead a test team at least (even if they get Yousuf and Younis in the squad)' date=' also he accepted that a captain should always be a role model and he is never a test team role model in any aspect... So I think he deserve some respect on this decision...[/quote'] I think that is called escapist attitude.. You don't try to escape the situation, you fight it. Is he a misfit in the test arena.. yes he is. Is he a misfit as a batsman... yes he is. Is he a misfit as a bowler... yes he is. Can he be called an allrounder... maybe. But he was selected as a captain and player of 13 years of experience in International cricket (if you can call it that) should have known better. And he should not have accepted the captainship at all. And if he thought if he was a misfit.. How would he know without playing more? what he did is not brave but beyond ridiculous escapism.

[Asim]

I think that is called escapist attitude.. You don't try to escape the situation, you fight it. Is he a misfit in the test arena.. yes he is. Is he a misfit as a batsman... yes he is. Is he a misfit as a bowler... yes he is. Can he be called an allrounder... maybe. But he was selected as a captain and player of 13 years of experience in International cricket (if you can call it that) should have known better. And he should not have accepted the captainship at all. And if he thought if he was a misfit.. How would he know without playing more? what he did is not brave but beyond ridiculous escapism.

So now you actually supporting him as a captain? Critics never take a rest... I am sure blame list on him would have increased after each test match he played and we were there to declare him culprit at the end of tour but now when he felt there should be a one man more suitable for this job and when he open heartedly accepting that it’s not his job, we are ON even then... Here even you are accepting that he don’t fit in test team either as a bowler or batsman then there is not any term in cricket I know as "specialized captain", you first have to prove yourself as an on merit selected player in final 11 then comes the captain issue, once you failed to prove that you should even be a part of some squad or you honestly feel that you don’t deserve to be part of some squad then the best is what Afridi did. It is an honest decision "in the favor" of Paksitan test team, taken more earlier, more better it is...

[CSK Fan]

I think that is called escapist attitude.. You don't try to escape the situation, you fight it. Is he a misfit in the test arena.. yes he is. Is he a misfit as a batsman... yes he is. Is he a misfit as a bowler... yes he is. Can he be called an allrounder... maybe. But he was selected as a captain and player of 13 years of experience in International cricket (if you can call it that) should have known better. And he should not have accepted the captainship at all. And if he thought if he was a misfit.. How would he know without playing more? what he did is not brave but beyond ridiculous escapism.

So now you actually supporting him as a captain? Critics never take a rest... I am sure blame list on him would have increased after each test match he played and we were there to declare him culprit at the end of tour but now when he felt there should be a one man more suitable for this job and when he open heartedly accepting that it’s not his job, we are ON even then... Here even you are accepting that he don’t fit in test team either as a bowler or batsman then there is not any term in cricket I know as "specialized captain", you first have to prove yourself as an on merit selected player in final 11 then comes the captain issue, once you failed to prove that you should even be a part of some squad or you honestly feel that you don’t deserve to be part of some squad then the best is what Afridi did. It is an honest decision "in the favor" of Paksitan test team, taken more earlier, more better it is...

So befor this match he thought he was the perfect fit but after just ONE match, he knows he is not? you realise how stupid that sounds? You know what is worse? He leaves an inexperienced side high and dry in the middle of a tour

[siddhu]

So now you actually supporting him as a captain? Critics never take a rest... I am sure blame list on him would have increased after each test match he played and we were there to declare him culprit at the end of tour but now when he felt there should be a one man more suitable for this job and when he open heartedly accepting that it’s not his job, we are ON even then... Here even you are accepting that he don’t fit in test team either as a bowler or batsman then there is not any term in cricket I know as "specialized captain", you first have to prove yourself as an on merit selected player in final 11 then comes the captain issue,

And does Pakistani Cricket work on this principle.. a big NO. If that was the case he should not have been selected as a captain... for even 20/20 or ODIs.. let alone test cricket. he was not part of test team for 4 years thats about 1/3 of his experience. He should not have been a captain for the test team anyway.. But once you get that responsibility and you accept it then you should face it ... NO MATTER WHAT...

once you failed to prove that you should even be a part of some squad or you honestly feel that you don’t deserve to be part of some squad then the best is what Afridi did. It is an honest decision "in the favor" of Paksitan test team, taken more earlier, more better it is...

And he knew this based on just 4 days of cricket?? out of which he batted a total of less than 30 mins... then why couldn't he have not known this earlier and not accept the responsibility at all...

[asterix]

:giggle: pbHjw1YbMBc As far as i know, he wanted to take Test captaincy to take total control and keep YK out of the picture..

[CSK Fan]

Some interesting quotes that I've read on the board & my own thoughts about this strange country come to my mind. Apparently in Pakistan, a) Cricketers never take a break - they retire and unretire. b) Players dont get dropped - they are banned and unbanned. c) Political leaders (ask Nawaz Sharif) are never ousted - they are exiled and unexiled. You are better off being a terrorist than a cricketer in Pakistan because: a) When you commit suicide as a terrorist you are glorified, but if you are a cricketer commiting suicide (esp against Australia) you will be stoned. b) If you drop a bomb as a terrorist you are glorified, you drop a catch as a cricketer you will be convicted. c) Terrorists at least know that they have virgins to look forward to. d) Terrorists dont get raped. e) As a terrorist you always get to play at home. So if you are growing up in Pakistan, looking for inspiration, dont bother with cricket!

Genius as always :hatsoff: :hysterical::hysterical::hysterical: