Mohammad Kaif Hails Shahid Afridi On His 38th Birthday
Former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi turned 38 on Thursday (March 1). The swashbuckling allrounder is one of the most beloved cricketers in not only Pakistan but entire world. His careless and aggressive batting made him a crowd favourite across the globe during the course of an illustrious career as an international cricketer.
Afridi made his international debut at just 16 and is still going strong. He marked his arrival in the game after smashing a 36-ball hundred in his maiden innings in 50-over format. The record stood for close to two decades before Corey Anderson bettered it.
The veteran represented Pakistan for 20 years before bidding adieu in 2016. He played 27 Tests, amassing 1716 runs at 36.51 with five hundreds and 8 fifties. His stats in limited-overs format is also not that attractive but it was his fearless style of play which made him a crowd favourite.
A record-breaking 37 ball ? in his first ODI innings at the age of 16.
8,064 runs, 395 wickets in ODIs.
The record wicket-taker in T20Is with 97 wickets.Happy Birthday to Boom Boom @<!---->S<!---->A<!---->f<!---->r<!---->i<!---->d<!---->i<!---->O<!---->f<!---->f<!---->i<!---->c<!---->i<!---->a<!---->l! p<!---->i<!---->c<!---->.<!---->t<!---->w<!---->i<!---->t<!---->t<!---->e<!---->r<!---->.<!---->c<!---->o<!---->m<!---->/<!---->p<!---->Y<!---->d<!---->d<!---->4<!---->X<!---->M<!---->x<!---->Q<!---->0
— ICC (@ICC) M<!---->a<!---->r<!---->c<!---->h<!----> <!---->1<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->1<!---->8
He played 398 ODIs, smashing 8064 runs at an average of 23.57. He hit 6 centuries and had a stunning career strike-rate of 117, which is the third highest in the game’s history. He was also impressive with the ball, picking up 395 wickets at 34.51 with 9 five-wicket hauls.
In 98 T20Is he scored 1405 runs at 18.01 with four fifties and 97 wickets. Afridi is the only played to score over 1000 runs and take more than 50 wickets in the format.
Not surprisingly, wishes poured in from all corners and former India batsman Mohammad Kaif also joined the bandwagon. Kaif took to Twitter to wish Afridi, hailing him as Pakistan’s biggest entertainer.
“Happy birthday to probably Pakistan’s biggest entertainer , boom boom Afridi @SAfridiOfficial !,” wrote Kaif who recently played Ice Cricket with Afridi.
Happy birthday to probably Pakistan ‘s biggest entertainer , boom boom Afridi @<!---->S<!---->A<!---->f<!---->r<!---->i<!---->d<!---->i<!---->O<!---->f<!---->f<!---->i<!---->c<!---->i<!---->a<!---->l ! p<!---->i<!---->c<!---->.<!---->t<!---->w<!---->i<!---->t<!---->t<!---->e<!---->r<!---->.<!---->c<!---->o<!---->m<!---->/<!---->6<!---->4<!---->B<!---->j<!---->P<!---->a<!---->d<!---->b<!---->8<!---->Y
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) M<!---->a<!---->r<!---->c<!---->h<!----> <!---->1<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->1<!---->8
Afridi was quick to reply to Kaif’s tweet, writing: “Tks?”
— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) M<!---->a<!---->r<!---->c<!---->h<!----> <!---->1<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->1<!---->8
