Dubai: When Pakistan take on New Zealand in the one-day series and the Twenty20 fixtures in Dubai and Abu Dhabi next month, the one player you can bank on to bring in the crowds has to be Shahid Afridi.
The dashing allrounder, who was named on Monday as the captain of their Twenty20 team for the title-defence in the next World Cup in 2010, had always been a big hit with the Pathans here right from the Sharjah days.
In an exclusive interview with Gulf News, Afridi holds court on a range of subjects from captaincy to his future in the Twenty20 game, where he was named Man of the Series in the last World Cup in England. Following are the excerpts:
GULF NEWS: We will see you very soon playing another series in the UAE. What are your thoughts on that?
SHAHID AFRIDI: I am looking forward to playing again in the UAE. Obviously, I am disappointed that we are not playing the series in Pakistan, but the UAE is a hospitable and exciting place to be and the public has always made me feel welcome.
If you are made the fulltime captain of Pakistan team, will it mellow your style?
I am the captain of the Twenty20 side and it is a great honour for me to captain my country. As for mellowing my style, what is my style? I play from the heart and give my best in every game — playing for your country is the ultimate for any player and to captain your country is the icing on the cake and Inshallah [by God's grace], I should be able to take the team all the way to the next World Cup in 2010.
As somebody who was Man of the Series in the last Twenty20 World Cup, you are not a part of the ongoing Champions League Twenty-20. Does that hurt you?
Of course, any sportsman wants to pit his skills against the best, but it was not to be. Inshallah, if there is a change in the situation then I should be playing in next year's Champions League.
Now that you have signed up with the South African team Noshua Dolphins to play in their domestic T20 tournament next year, will you be game if the Deccan Chargers approach you again for IPL 3?
IPL is a top class event that attracts top class players. If the chance to play in the IPL comes again, then of course I would be interested.
Looking back at your career, do you think that you have done justice to your talent — especially as a bowler?
I have always tried my best whether it be batting or bowling… I am still working at all aspects of my game and striving to be better as an allround player. The best is yet to come.
Even though your style suits the limited overs game, what form of cricket according to you is the ultimate test of skills and temperament?
Each of the three forms of the game tests different skills in each player, so it is difficult to say which one is the ultimate test. For me personally, T20 is a stern test as you need to score off every ball and not concede runs when bowling, and that brings its own pressures. One-day cricket is a test of mental strength too while Test matches are a test of both mental and physical strength. Hence, every form of the game is a testing arena for a cricketer.
Lastly, the sports management company, Aces Middle East has signed you up recently to promote you as a brand. Do you think you should have thought about an agent sometime back to make your mark with endorsements etc?
To be honest, I was never really aware nor interested in the ‘business' of cricket, but in meeting with Umran Khan (Head of Talent Management at Aces Middle East), he has worked with me to promote me as a brand.
They are professionals and their understanding of the sports business is something we lack at home. I am very much looking forward to forging a good working relationship with them...
