Shahid Afridi Reverses Conditional Retirement; Signals Returns to Pakistan Cricket

Shahid Afridi’s cricket career has rarely been short of drama. And once more, in keeping with that tradition, the former Pakistan ODI and Twenty20 captain has signaled intentions that he intends to play for Pakistan again. So, what has changed his mind?

Shahid Afridi

Shahid Afridi, the flamboyant all rounder, was a grumpy individual following the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 and Pakistan’s tour of West Indies. Amidst reports of a rift between Afridi, the then Pakistan captain, and Waqar Younis, the then Pakistan coach, Afridi was not named as the captain and in the events that followed in the immediate aftermath, Afridi criticized the PCB chief, Ijaz Butt, and in a stunning decision, announced his conditional retirement stating he would never play under the same PCB regime.

Afridi has now signaled that his exile from Pakistan cricket is over and that he is willing once more to play for Pakistan. It has to be stated that Misbah ul Haq has been appointed the Pakistan captain in Afridi’s absence and if Afridi returns, it is unlikely that he may be considered once more for the Pakistan captaincy role, although stranger things have happened in Pakistan cricket.

However, the road is not going be all that smooth. While Afridi may be willing and ready, the Pakistan Cricket Board, even under a new regime, is likely to wary after the tantrums and may pose a few impediments before letting the talented all rounder back into the team. Afridi though has already retired from Test cricket and is only open to ODIs and Twenty20 where he has been relatively successful until the rift with the coach began to affect his own relationship with the coach, the team and the management with reports of the political agenda coming into the fray with Afridi calling upon the Pakistan president, Asif Ali Zardari, to intervene in the issue.

Afridi had run into trouble following his decision where his No Objection Certificate to play for Twenty20 leagues in England and other places ran into trouble. Although that may no longer be a problem, getting back into the Pakistan cricket team may prove to be another political and ego driven issue which is why perhaps this time Afridi’s may not be a straightforward case.