Afridi and Paki cricketers' real age

[Ultimate_Game]

Well we always knew that Afridi and other Paki "youngsters" were never 16 or so when they came into the team. Now Afridi himself admits the same. Listen to the interview, especially around 5.20

Essentially Afridi is saying that this practice is quite prevalent in Pakistan and this explains why they are so successful inunderage tourneys (U 19, U 15 etc.) but never amount to much later unlike other teams' players (Southee for NZ, Ponting for Aus, Yuvi/Kaif/Kohli etc. for India, Cook for Eng and so on). Hope ICC investigates as this is essentially unfair on other teams.

[Cricket Tragic]

:hysterical: Everyone knows that. I actually think that it is 4-5 years and not 2-3 years.

[Ultimate_Game]

:hysterical: Everyone knows that. I actually think that it is 4-5 years and not 2-3 years.

No doubt about that. If they are admitting they fudge their ages by at least 2-3 years what's stopping them from claiming themselves 4-5 years younger? That's why they are amazed seeing Tendulkar play till 38. Now ICC should definitely act else underage cricket loses its integrity.

[cricketlover]

The new generation cant do that unfortunately for them... ICC has wrist and bone tests for any player competitng in an under 19 tournament. SO the new players have the correct age with an error of 10-15 days which doesnt amount to much.. Yeah Afridi and his generation really tinkered with their ages.. Younis Khan is 35(soon to be 36). Was born in 1975 not 78 what cricinfo says

[Cricket Tragic]

No doubt about that. If they are admitting they fudge their ages by at least 2-3 years what's stopping them from claiming themselves 4-5 years younger? That's why they are amazed seeing Tendulkar play till 38. Now ICC should definitely act else underage cricket loses its integrity.

At the international level, it doesn't matter how old a player is. You can be 16 or 50. Yeah, it does matter at U19 level and they now conduct bone tests to catch the cheats. You still get loads of such people though.

[Ultimate_Game]

At the international level, it doesn't matter how old a player is. You can be 16 or 50. Yeah, it does matter at U19 level and they now conduct bone tests to catch the cheats. You still get loads of such people though.

Well it does impact the record books though, especially the ones related to age, i.e., youngest player to score 50 or 100, or youngest bowler to take 5 wkts or 10 wkts. But yeah at intl level it doesn't have a major impact but it does explain why there have been so many cases of match fixing, ball tampering, pitch tampering etc. by Pak players. I mean they have been doing so from the younger days and it's so systemic that they don't even think they are doing anything wrong when they cheat at intl level. Case in point Afridi ball tampering and then saying he was only "smelling" the ball.

[vvvslaxman]

Waqar is 4 years older than his official age. I am pretty sure Abdul Razzaq must be 50 :cantstop:

[Ultimate_Game]

That explains their fielding as well... if you add 3-5 years on an average to Pak team it's a freakin old team :haha:

[Jersey #10]

Now that this is clear, I am quite certain that Shoaib Akhtar is 40+.

[Ultimate_Game]

Now that this is clear' date=' I am quite certain that Shoaib Akhtar is 40+.[/quote'] I always thought of him as a chain smoker the way he pants after bowling a 2-3 over spell. Guess now we know the real reason :--D

[Midfielder]

Large hearted with large ages.

[Legend of Dhoni]

Large hearted with large ages.

:two_thumbs_up:

[Ramzz]

I think the wrist and bone tests are only accurate up to the age of 18.

[Ultimate_Game]

I think the wrist and bone tests are only accurate up to the age of 18.

Or maybe those tests are not accurate enough for "meat eating beasts" :cantstop:

[Pak_Forever]

U19 ones are always fair, and Pakistani talent has usually been most impressive and consistent out of the lot. Who cares what's your real age is in international cricket? You should play for as long as you are good. But yeh Pakistani international players hiding their real age is silly.

[Prakat]

Such girls. Being coy about their age.

[Ultimate_Game]

U19 ones are always fair, and Pakistani talent has usually been most impressive and consistent out of the lot. Who cares what's your real age is in international cricket? You should play for as long as you are good. But yeh Pakistani international players hiding their real age is silly.

Sure but doesn't that answer the question why Pak doesn't get too many players in the national team from U19s? I mean if you are not really U19 there is not much scope of improvement. Look at other teams... Aussies have Marsh brothers & Khwaja coming through u19s, India has seen the likes of Yuvi, Kaif, and now Kohli coming through U19s, Eng has Cook and NZ has Southee. If Pak doesn't have U19 players coming through the system there's a problem somewhere and that could very well be the incorrect age as the players may well be in early 20s instead of being U19.

[ravishingravi]

Remember Boycott's famous quote during the Sahara Cup in Kanada " If he is 16 I am 21"

[Jersey #10]

I always doubted Aamir's age and thought that he can not be so young and be bowling the way he was. I bet he was like 23 or 24 when he entered the international arena. The ban serves his cause correctly i guess.

[Stuge]

No doubt they cheat in everything .