Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi is widely considered as one of the game's most explosive players. As an opener, Afridi set the record for the fastest ODI century when he hit a century in 37 deliveries against Sri Lanka in 1996.
However, due to his aggressive approach, Afridi was demoted to lower middle-order over the years. Years after his international retirement, former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has made an audacious assertion about the great former all-rounder.
Butt questioned Afridi's decision not to start for Pakistan when Adam Gilchrist and Sanath Jayasuriya, both aggressive hitters for their respective countries, did.
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“Your brand of cricket is inducted if the player is ready to give it all. You look at Gilchrist, Kaluwitharna, Jayasuriya, who started it... they used to open the innings. When Misbah's tenure began, Shahid Afridi used to play at 6-7. Why didn't he open the innings? Who stopped him? He spoke on TV, 'kaptaan bata dein, main hu ya ye hai',” Butt said on Cric Bridge.
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"Player couldn't take the decision about themselves. But Shahid bhai could. He was himself the captain for 2 years. Why didn't he go as an opener then? He didn't want to go,” said Butt.
When the host mentioned that Afridi did open with Butt during Pakistan's 2005 tour of India, the former Pakistan captain added that Afridi used to "pick and choose" as he wanted.
"Against Indian bowling during those days, Saeed Anwar and Aamir Sohail didn't use to wear helmets while opening. Topiyaan pehenke unko maar rahe hote the. (They used to hit them wearing caps)
“He opened the innings with me against India. That time, the didn't have an express pace attack. Shahid bhai didn't open everywhere. In Australia, South Africa, he didn't open. He used to pick and choose. He opened in ideal condition, and where the condition was difficult... it was pick and choose,” Butt asserted.
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