“The goal isn’t to live forever, it is to build something that will”

Shahid Khan Afridi, a name that every cricket fan loves, adores and celebrates. A name that has left its imprints on the game of cricket and its fans. As we all now know, the seventh edition of the Pakistan Super League will be the last ever played by our national hero and most beloved cricketer, SHAHID AFRIDI.

For decades, we have seen Afridi performing, entertaining and pulling out miracles for this game. He has been one of the most skillful, loving and humble players to ever feature in cricket. He combined love for his country with integrity and skill in order to produce something special. 

Afridi’s Decorated Career

From making his debut at a young age of 16 years and smashing a 37-ball century in only his second ODI, after which nothing could stop him. We saw him become a crowd-puller just because of his sizzling and mind-blowing batting. Although his teammates were sometimes rather infuriated by his way of batting, nothing could stop him from implementing his own style in his batting.

He played for different franchises from around the world, even IPL. This proves his worth as one of the most valuable players in the world. His promising stats in the shorter formats increased the value of Afridi. There was a rise in his popularity after his performances in T20Is. He scored a total of 11,196 runs in his blistering career. This shows his great commitment to the game and his country. 

PSL Stats

Afridi started his PSL career by captaining Peshawar Zalmi and almost winning the tournament. They lost to Islamabad United in Playoffs. He fared quite decently in all addition apart from his injury issues, he played a total of 50 matches till date. In 37 inning he batted, he scored 465 runs at a ginormous strike rate of 153.3 and has been quite effective for all the teams he played. 

This edition being the last of Afridi, we surely can see some fireworks from him. His aggressive and attack-oriented style of playing will surely make us anticipate what will be on the mind of Afridi for this tournament.

Trademarks of Afridi

The most decorated six-hitter in the history of cricket. Out of the seven fastest centuries, three belong to this guy. He surely is a treat to watch and if used properly by Quetta Gladiators, he surely will set the whole stadium on fire and we all want it that way.

His famous leg-spin bowling was a treat to watch and we all want to witness it again. The point of discussion will be if Quetta will be able to advantage of him as a bowler or will we be able to see the old Afridi for the last time?

Accomplishments

When we talk about achievements, no one can get past Shahid Afridi, he has been the most accomplished cricketer for Pakistan. Talk about the fastest centuries, fifties, highest strike rates, Man of match and Man of series awards, Afridi will always be present on the list. Shahid Afridi has been the leading wicket-taker as a captain in T20Is.

Even in PSL, he always showed glimpses of his greatness. He has been a match-winner and this is what his team would expect him to be for his final season.

Team Quetta will be his fourth and final team. He announced it like this: 

“I am excited to join Quetta Gladiators, a side that has had a roller-coaster ride in the past few events despite winning the title in 2019. In my final event, it will be my dream and wish to sign off with another trophy after tasting success with Peshawar Zalmi in 2017.”

Fans were also astonished on his decision to leave Cricket after PSL 7. A fanboy asked him to play two more PSL, so that he can represent Lahore and Islamabad too. In response, he said: “Just do it man, how much will he play?”

Expectations from Boom Boom

Honestly, there are no high expectations. Fans just want to see him in the cricket ground and get a glimpse of this guy. His presence is what the fans want. Just to see him play is the dream of millions of cricket fans. So, let’s just enjoy some of his last outings for his country, his team, his fans and the cricketing world.

Conclusion

Shahid Afridi has always been a beacon of hope for fans around the world and particularly in his country. He turned many impossible situations in the game, possible. That is what was inspiring to all of us and will continue to be an inspiration for the upcoming generation. For now, let’s just enjoy the PSL, with him included, of course. Quetta Gladiators have already released an inspirational Gladiator themed tribute video for him.

FASTEN YOUR SEATBELTS COZ IT’S BOOM BOOM TIME!

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