Shahid Afridi is ESPN's cricketer of the decade

[iioal malik]

Wah wah lala you r the best i turly hope that under his captiancy will be able to defend our T20 cup lala all the way god bless

 

[Goodperson]

FYI-ESPN is owned by NewsCorp's Rupert Murdoch. Does he sound like an Indian to you?

I have no problems with a Pakistani player being a chosen as a great. Youhana, Inzy could have been better candidates rather than Afridi. I'd even wager that Wasim was the best fast bowler of the past two decades. What I want to disprove is the undue significance given to Afridi as a player.

And bfore you generalize and carry on with your anti-Indian rantings please take a look at Afridi's record.

Stats Mat Inns Runs HS Ave SR 100 50
Tests 26 46 1683 156 37.40 86.13 5 8
ODIs 293 275 5957 109 23.17 111.65 4 30
T20Is 27 25 475 54* 20.65 145.25 0 3

Shahid Afridi | Cricket Players and Officials | Cricinfo.com

Are these the stats of a great player? They hardly the stat for an above average player. Apart from his Strike Rate, nothing in his record is above average. Look at his average. And I haven't even gone into his averages beyond the sub-continent. They are at best pathetic.

Data hits hard buddy. Take it from a guy working in analytics!

No doubt he Afridi is great, But he has spoiled his own image by biting the ball as if there are no camera's.

IF Afridi is bent upon spoilin his own image then why blame others ?

 

[RobbieS]

The guy who did not even bother to consider his bowling career and the fielding performance........... why should i even argue with him

He was/is a bowling all rounder....... you are neglecting his bowling performance and the the positive attitude he brings in the fieldings........... everything counts buddy

The way you compared Afridi's performance.......Sorry i can't argue with you

Since you asked -
Stats Mat Inns Wkts BBI BBM Ave Econ SR 4w 5w 10
Tests 26 45 5/52 5/43 34.89 3.18 65.7 1 1 0
ODIs 293 269 6/38 6/38 34.61 4.61 45.0 2 3 0
T20Is 27 27 4/11 4/11 16.32 5.80 16.8 2 0 0

What are his Strike Rates in bowling? Downright pathetic. If that's what you call great, your standards are for all to see.

And I dont have the time to find his fielding averages as well. I hope you would have seen daylight by now.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Afridi is just another sacrificial goat , before the sacrifice we tend to fed the sacrificial animal alot so its juicy and tender

Pakistan Cricket Board has no respect for its cricketer

Almost 95% of the cricketers are normally disgraced and kicked out of National Team , and the they take their turn to do the same to other generation its how things are done

Apart from just Inzimam Ul Haq every one in Pakistani cricket has suffered pain of humiliation of great proportions

Shahid is also just same , he will be put on top of the mental and once he loses a series , ppl will throw him like rotten tomatoe

Its becasue in Pakista there is no mentality to accept when you can't perform , every one wants to play untill they are 55 years old ppl have to litirally kick you out

 

[RobbieS]

No doubt he Afridi is great, But he has spoiled his own image by biting the ball as if there are no camera's.

IF Afridi is bent upon spoilin his own image then why blame others ?

May be you have a different definition of greatness than the commonly accepted or you are looking at different stats than what I am!

 

[Goodperson]

May be you have a different definition of greatness than the commonly accepted or you are looking at different stats than what I am!

No one would want their young kids to treat cricket ball as apple.

 

[Hyde]

Since you asked -
Stats Mat Inns Wkts BBI BBM Ave Econ SR 4w 5w 10
Tests 26 45 5/52 5/43 34.89 3.18 65.7 1 1 0
ODIs 293 269 6/38 6/38 34.61 4.61 45.0 2 3 0
T20Is 27 27 4/11 4/11 16.32 5.80 16.8 2 0 0

What are his Strike Rates in bowling? Downright pathetic. If that's what you call great, your standards are for all to see.

And I dont have the time to find his fielding averages as well. I hope you would have seen daylight by now.

if that is your analysis........ i am afraid but you need to learn the basics of cricket. You have not mentioned the stats currectly... Afridi has taken 275 wickets in ODI matches.. one of the leading wicket taker of all time. Soon he will be in Top 10 in leading wicket taker of all time also.... he is ranked in Top 10 ICCbowling Ranking since years now

The news is talking about the last decade (2000-2009) just compare Afridi's performance in last decade best spinner (Shane Warne) and see how close his average is to Afridi................

All-round records | One-Day Internationals | Cricinfo Statsguru | Cricinfo.com
All-round records | One-Day Internationals | Cricinfo Statsguru | Cricinfo.com

then compare Anil Kumble, Vettori and other spinners of last decade Afridi has better average than most of the so-called Legends of cricket. He even had a better average than almost all indian bowlers of all time.

Then you consider his batting bonus and when you see like 99 catches in his career and the best fielder of our team + the attitude he gives in the ground.... it is sufficient to call him one of the best all rounders in the world

Thats my last post here........

 

[RobbieS]

if that is your analysis........ i am afraid but you need to learn the basics of cricket. You have not mentioned the stats currectly... Afridi has taken 275 wickets in ODI matches.. one of the leading wicket taker of all time. Soon he will be in Top 10 in leading wicket taker of all time also.... he is ranked in Top 10 ICCbowling Ranking since years now

The news is talking about the last decade (2000-2009) just compare Afridi's performance in last decade best spinner (Shane Warne) and see how close his average is to Afridi................

All-round records | One-Day Internationals | Cricinfo Statsguru | Cricinfo.com
All-round records | One-Day Internationals | Cricinfo Statsguru | Cricinfo.com

then compare Anil Kumble, Vettori and other spinners of last decade Afridi has better average than most of the so-called Legends of cricket. He even had a better average than almost all indian bowlers of all time.

Then you consider his batting bonus and when you see like 99 catches in his career and the best fielder of our team + the attitude he gives in the ground.... it is sufficient to call him one of the best all rounders in the world

Thats my last post here........

You think taking 275 wickets in ODIs is a measure of greatness? What about Tests? Since you know so much about cricket, I bet you'd know that the true measure of a player's greatness is his performance in Tests. He might be an ok ODI player and a good T20 player but that's about it.

And you are comparing him with Kumble and Warne. One retired in 2008 and the latter in 2007.

And if you think he's that great an all-rounder compare him with Jacques Kallis and you'd understand the difference between the words all-rounder and a bits and pieces cricketer.

 

[ARCHON]

Congrats..
Shahid afridi is world famous in Pakistan.


he is better than hayden, sachin, ponting, jayasurya, kallis, hussey, dhoni, sehwag, gayle, sangakkara, grame smith, etc etc and better allrounder than kallis and flintoff etc. check the statistics and get urself informed how good he is..

 

[ARCHON]

Shahid Afridi's Bio:

Name : Shahid Afridi

Position: All-Rounder

Team: Pakistan

Detail: Height - 1.80m

Playing Style: Right Handed

Test Batting Average: 37.40

Test Bowling Average: 34.89

ODI Batting Average: 23.13

ODI Bowling Average: 34.53

These averages are well below the "AVERAGE"...

 

[Pride]

Sorry to say but hopeless selection.. he is a good "boom boom" player but he disappoints more than making us happier.. I prefer Sachin/Ponting in batting comparison.. in bowling Murali.. in fielding gibbs .. in attitude Dhoni.. and in allround performance Kallis... My personal view

 

[Moin91]

Afridiiii Chaaaa gaya.........

Afridi's Wallpaper.... made by me...



Afridi Zindabaad.......

---------------------------------------------------
Jalne walooon.... Jaltay raho.......

 

[VrSoLdIeRs]

nice to hear that!!!!

usually when pakistani team is playing he is the only player who keeps the fans glued to the screen... i remember during the last India's tour of Pakistan there was a test at peshawar which was heading for a draw... afridi came in there was the usual roar, played a few shots n got out in his usual style.... the whole stadium emptied within 10 minutes of him leaving the ground.... I believe no other player can do that!!!

[off topic] btw i remember reading in the news that there was some poll on facebook for the best bands... Mekaal Hassan's band was the only one from Pakistan and people were voting for them, most dont understand their music and some never heard of em even... but thats patriotism!!!!

 

[Ingis]

you indians are really jealous with everything

Why dragging ball tempering into every single debate............. your dravid did that, your tendulkar did that, did we ever mention that? Why always bring the same old rants in all threads about afridi

Oh please! Dravid and Tendulkar (even if found guilty), did that only once in their entire career (which by itself is twice as long as that of Afridi's). And dude... there is a hell of difference between rubbing sweetened saliva and digging your teeth into the ball. As they say... Pathan buddhi.

And forget about the seriousness of ball tampering... how many times has Afridi been found guilty of ball tampering and pitch tampering?

Look at the audacity of some people to even dare compare Dravid and Tendulkar with players like Afridi.

Just to note: Congrats to Afridi. But do not dare compare the acts of your players with that of Dravid and Tendulkar.

 

[whydowelove]

May be you have a different definition of greatness than the commonly accepted or you are looking at different stats than what I am!

read all of your post here........full of frustration man......chill out and enjoy................


doesn't mean other players are bad........even though I am BIG fan of afridi but some times i don't like his attitude (arrogance), but its how every thing goes.....specially being so much famous

you remember commentary of Ravi shastri (these are not hits these are scud missiles 100/45 balls) NO OFFENSE