The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reportedly changed its mind about sending off Shahid Afridi on a high note.
Reportedly, the top officials at PCB are angry with Afridi over his past comments on retirement plans and have decided to leave him out of the T20 side for the final T20 match against West Indies on September 27. The board has also cancelled all plans for a farewell ceremony for the all-rounder at the end of the series.
According to earlier reports, it said that Afridi would not only be included in the squad against West Indies but would also play the matches so he can retire honourably.
Pakistan will play three T20 matches against West Indies on September 23, 24 and 27 in UAE.
Reports had suggested earlier that PCB, on Afridi’s request, was considering including him for the West Indies series to make it a farewell series for him and provide him with the opportunity to retire with the series.
However, Afridi had neither denied nor confirmed the reports.
“I am not under any pressure from the board to take the West Indies series and retire, neither am I pressurising the PCB. Whatever will be done, it will be in the better interest of the Pakistan Cricket,” he said.
“I want to leave cricket respectfully, something which is unprecedented in Pakistan as not too many players have left cricket with grace. I will opt for something which is graceful for both – me and PCB,” Afridi added.
Afridi, a veteran of 98 T20Is, had last year announced retirement from ODIs. Earlier in 2010 he had quit Test cricket, but despite quitting Pakistan’s captaincy from T20s after World T20 this year, he insisted on continuing as a player in the shortest format.
