Shahid Afridi: Questions raised on his superstar status by critics

Shahid Afridi: Questions raised on his superstar status by critics

Shahid Khan Afridi has a huge fan base in Pakistan, courtesy of his “boom boom” approach to cricket as a batsman. There is a lot of criticism of the people who have a high regard for the all-rounder, primarily because of his lack of cricketing sense despite
being in the international team since over a decade.

The critics are of the opinion that Boom Boom Afridi is over-rated considering the number of times he has disappointed the nation. There have been numerous occasions where the Karachi-based cricketer has led the cricket fans down by playing a silly shot
at a time when the team needed him to stay on the crease and steer Pakistan to victory.

One of the biggest features of Afridi is his fearless approach while holding the bat in his hands. He hardly ever seems to worry about the level of opposition that he is facing and the situation that his team is in. If he is out there, he will attack and
if he gets out, he ensures it happens while he is fighting for the cause and not for his own personal stats.

Afridi knows that the crowd loves to see the ball going into the stand for a six or getting over the rope to add a four to the team’s total. That is why he puts his life on the line to deliver what the crowd are anxious to see. He is not only playing for
his team, but is infact playing for the entire nation.

Afridi’s bowling has more often than naught turned out to be a decisive factor in matches. An unorthodox leg-spinner has a variety of deliveries at his disposal, keeping the batsmen guessing what is coming their way.

Afridi also tends to win the hearts of people due to his body language. He remains extremely active while in the field. The energy that he induces in his team mates transforms the entire Pakistani team from a lethargic unit into a raging bull, charging towards
the oppositions while looking ominous throughout.

People are not blind and when they chose to adore a cricketer, they have a number of reasons to do so. If God has given Afridi respect, there must be a reason behind it. The critics need to understand that cricket is more than just batting averages.

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Posted by Muhammad Qasim Hassan on Mar 26 2012. Filed under Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry