Shahid Afridi: PCB and former captain at odds with each other

Bat and ball / Frank Gregan / 07 June 2011 / 1

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The crowd's reaction to Afridi's return to Pakistan offera good idea of whose side the

"It's far easier to predict who will win the battle between Shahid Afridi and the PCB. The answer is simple – neither."

Shahid Afridi has been one of the most exciting and entertaining cricketers of the past few years but we may never see him play international cricket again. Why did Boom Boom and the Pakistan Cricket Board fall out, asks Frank Gregan.

Just when you think that they'd turned the corner and weathered the controversy that has surrounded them for the past eighteen months the Pakistan Cricket Board find themselves bang in the middle of yet another public relations disaster. Seriously, this is an organisation that could take image lessons from FIFA!

The latest storm centres around their former one-day skipper Shahid Afridi, who has taken exception to being stripped of the captaincy. In Afridi's defence he had just led his country to the World Cup semi finals and won a one-day series in the West Indies, so he probably has every right to be disappointed with the timing of the decision. Even more galling is that the board have yet to give a proper reason for his removal.

His recent achievements would have been applauded in other countries but this is Pakistan, a cricket-mad nation with very high expectations. Afridi has never been slow to offer his opinion, he's one of the few cricketers that make Geoffrey Boycott look reticent, so he was more than happy to put his thoughts on the matter into the public domain.

"There is nothing bigger than a man's respect, and the way the board has treated me, there is a limit to everything." Ok Shahid, that's not really crystal clear, have you been taking public speaking lessons from Eric Cantona? Perhaps you could be a little more succinct?

"I will not play under this board. If a different board comes in I will definitely return but I cannot play under this board. When you have been humiliated like this, by dishonourable people, what is the point in playing on?" Aha, there you go. Not much room for manoeuvre, he wants a whole new cricket board in place and then he will return to the side. As far as ultimatums go it has to be said that's pretty ambitious!

These things happen, not only in cricket but in every sport. Heck, it happens in every occupation. This is the modern day equivalent of popping into the boss's office and relieving yourself in his in-tray! There's no going back, Afridi's has had his say and that should have been the end of the matter and consequently the end of his international career.

That would have been the case had the PCB handled the matter correctly and professionally but instead they summoned Afridi to Karachi in order to explain his comments. The PCB must have some pretty big comprehension issues if it didn't get the drift of what Boom Boom was saying!

Their actions have added fuel to the fire. They should have diffused the situation by putting out a statement expressing their disappointment in Afridi but ensuring that they finished it by thanking him for all his efforts over the years in Pakistan's colours. A straightforward case of 'thanks for coming but we're moving on!'

Afridi got off the aeroplane and was greeted by vociferous support. The PCB want an apology but that's not likely to happen, all they've done is make a rod for their own back and Afridi and his supporters are more than capable of whacking them with it.

Pakistan's old foes India have taken their place in the Caribbean and have won the only Twenty20 match and are one up in the five game one-day series. The second match gets underway on Wednesday with the West Indians at [3.35] and India at [1.42]. Darren Sammy's men were competitive against Pakistan and are capable of winning a game or two in this series. The [3.35] available is a very tempting back-to-lay proposition.

It's far easier to predict who will win the battle between Shahid Afridi and the PCB. The answer is simple - neither. Once again it will be Pakistani cricket that is the loser.

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sahara | 07 June 2011

We dont want afridi to leave cricket our pakistan team will fall behind which will look bad on our country.AFRIDI WE WANT YOU BACK.