Afridi eyes forceful show in BPL

Former captain says he will brush aside setbacks to focus on his form and fitness

KARACHI: Shahid Afridi has been in the news for all the wrong reasons in recent days.

After going through the ignominy of facing a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) snub over a proposed farewell match, Afridi was recently involved in a spat with former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad.

But the star all-rounder stressed on Monday that he will brush aside all such setbacks in a bid to focus on his game ahead of the fourth edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) which explodes into action early next month.

“My focus is now on regaining my form and fitness ahead of the BPL,” Afridi told ‘The News’ in an interview.

“I have resumed practice and am looking forward to giving my best in the Bangladeshi league,” he added.

Afridi has requested the PCB to issue a No Objection Certificate so that he can travel to Bangladesh at the end of the month.

“I’m awaiting the NOC from the Board and once I get it I will leave for Dhaka around October 30, a few days before the start of the league,” he said.

Afridi will feature for Rangpur Riders in their campaign for the BPL title. Other foreign players in the Riders’ squad which is spearheaded by Bangladeshi star Soumya Sarkar include: Pakistan’s Sharjeel Khan and Babar Azam and Mohammad Shahzad, Dasun Shanaka, Gidron Damien Pope and Richard James Gleeson.

The opening game of BPL 4 will take place at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka on November 4. There will be a total of 46 matches, including three play-off games and the final. They will be held in Dhaka and Chittagong and will run for over a month, with the final slated for December 9.

“I’m confident of getting fully ready for the league,” said Afridi, who was ignored by Pakistan after he lead them to an embarrassing first-round exit from the ICC World Twenty20 championship in India earlier this year.

On the issue of his war of words with Miandad, Afridi said that he is mulling over the option of sending a legal notice to his former coach. Miandad had accused Afridi of match-fixing in a televised programme.

“I challenge Afridi to swear upon his daughter and say that he didn’t sell Pakistan’s matches,” said Miandad.

Afridi said that he was shocked by Miandad’s allegations. “It was in bad taste and I’ll be seeking an apology over his comments.”