Afridi lambasted over controversial remarks in autobiography

KARACHI: Former Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Afridi batted away accusations of misogyny this week as critics lashed out at the cricket star’s admission that he refuses to let his daughters play outdoor sports.

The remarks were just the latest controversy stemming from Afridi’s tell-all autobiography — “Game Changer” — released in Pakistan and India last week. “It’s for social and religious reasons that I’ve made this decision regarding my daughters not competing in public sporting activities and their mother agrees with me,” wrote Afridi. “The feminists can say what they want; as a conservative Pakistani father, I’ve made my decision,” he added.

In the book, the cricketer also unleashed withering criticism against old teammates — including erstwhile World Cup captain and current Prime Minister Imran Khan — and admitted to being slightly older than previously reported, drawing accusations he was not the youngest player to set the record for scoring 100 runs in an international. However, his comments about his four daughters — who are aged between 10 and 20 years old — may have proven to be the most galling to the public with social media users labeling the all-rounder a “hypocrite”.

“Afridi is no better than a typical middle-aged average Pakistani guy, who wouldn’t mind hanging out with someone else’s daughters but would balk if his own did the same,” tweeted Salman Siddiq.