Sahid Afridi, popularly as Shahid "Boom Boom" Afridi, is a former Pakistani cricketer and former captain of the Pakistan national cricket team.Afridi was the world record holder for the fastest ODI century in 37 deliveries and holds the distinction of having hit the most number of sixes in the history of ODI cricket. Afridi considers himself a better bowler than batsman, and has taken 48 Test wickets and over 350 in ODIs. Currently Afridi is leading the chart of most T20I wickets with 92 wickets from 92 matches.[11] He also holds a record of taking most wickets (97) and most player-of-the match awards in Twenty20 International cricket.
In October 1996 at age 16, Afridi was drafted into the ODI team during the four-nation Sameer Cup 1996–97 as a leg spinner as a replacement for the injured Mushtaq Ahmed.[18][19] He made his debut on 2 October against Kenya; however, he didn't bat and went wicketless.[20] In the next match against Sri Lanka, Afridi batted at number three in the role of a pinch-hitter. In his first international innings, Afridi broke the record for fastest century in ODI cricket, reaching his hundred from 37 balls. The eleven sixes he struck also equaled the record for most in an ODI innings.[21][nb 1] Aged 16 years and 217 days, Afridi became the youngest player to score an ODI century.[23] Pakistan posted a total of 371, at the time the second-highest in ODIs, and won by 82 runs; Afridi was named man of the match.[21] The record for fastest century in ODI was broken by New Zealand cricketer Corey Anderson on 1 January 2014 who hit 131* runs from 36 balls and is now held by South-African cricketer AB de Villiers who made a century from 31 balls on 18 January 2015 against West Indies.[24]
Afridi with his teammates during the 2009 World Twenty20 in June 2009
Two years after appearing on the international scene, Afridi made his Test debut in the third game of a three-match series against Australia on 22 October 1998.[25] By this point he had already played 66 ODIs, at the time a record before playing Tests.[26] He opened the batting, making scores of 10 and 6, and took five wickets in the first innings.[25] He played his second Test the following January during Pakistan's tour of India; it was the first Test between the two countries since 1990.[27] Again opening the batting, Afridi scored his maiden Test century, scoring 141 runs from 191 balls. In the same match he also claimed three wickets for 54 runs.[28] After winning the first match by 12 runs, Pakistan lost the second to draw the series.[29]
In 2001, Afridi signed a contract to represent Leicestershire. In five first-class matches he scored 295 runs at an average of 42.14, including a highest score of 164,[30] and took 11 wickets at an average of 46.45;[31] Afridi also played 11 one day matches for the club, scoring 481 runs at an average of 40.08[32] and taking 18 wickets at 24.04.[33] His highest score of 95 came from 58 balls in a semi-final of the C&G Trophy to help Leicestershire beat Lancashire by seven wickets.[34] Derbyshire County Cricket Club signed Afridi to play for them in the first two months of the 2003 English cricket season.[35] In June 2004 Afridi signed with English county side Kent to play for them in three Twenty20 matches and one Totesport League match.[36]
An innings-by-innings breakdown of Afridi's Test match batting career up to 30 December 2007, showing runs scored (red bars) and the average of the last ten innings (blue line)
Afridi made his presence felt in the third Test against India in March 2005, scoring a quick-fire second-innings half-century and taking five wickets in the match (including Tendulkar twice) to help Pakistan to win the game and register a series draw.[37] In April Afridi struck what at the time was the equal second-fastest century in ODIs; he reached 100 off 45 deliveries against India, sharing the record with West Indian Brian Lara.[38] Afridi was more consistent with his batting and bowling throughout 2005, starting with the tours of India and West Indies and through to the England tour. The Pakistani coach Bob Woolmer helped Afridi to reach a fuller potential by improving his shot selection and giving him free rein over his batting attitude.
In October 1996 at age 16, Afridi was drafted into the ODI team during the four-nation Sameer Cup 1996–97 as a leg spinner as a replacement for the injured Mushtaq Ahmed.[18][19] He made his debut on 2 October against Kenya; however, he didn't bat and went wicketless.[20] In the next match against Sri Lanka, Afridi batted at number three in the role of a pinch-hitter. In his first international innings, Afridi broke the record for fastest century in ODI cricket, reaching his hundred from 37 balls. The eleven sixes he struck also equaled the record for most in an ODI innings.[21][nb 1] Aged 16 years and 217 days, Afridi became the youngest player to score an ODI century.[23] Pakistan posted a total of 371, at the time the second-highest in ODIs, and won by 82 runs; Afridi was named man of the match.[21] The record for fastest century in ODI was broken by New Zealand cricketer Corey Anderson on 1 January 2014 who hit 131* runs from 36 balls and is now held by South-African cricketer AB de Villiers who made a century from 31 balls on 18 January 2015 against West Indies.[24]
Afridi with his teammates during the 2009 World Twenty20 in June 2009
Two years after appearing on the international scene, Afridi made his Test debut in the third game of a three-match series against Australia on 22 October 1998.[25] By this point he had already played 66 ODIs, at the time a record before playing Tests.[26] He opened the batting, making scores of 10 and 6, and took five wickets in the first innings.[25] He played his second Test the following January during Pakistan's tour of India; it was the first Test between the two countries since 1990.[27] Again opening the batting, Afridi scored his maiden Test century, scoring 141 runs from 191 balls. In the same match he also claimed three wickets for 54 runs.[28] After winning the first match by 12 runs, Pakistan lost the second to draw the series.[29]
In 2001, Afridi signed a contract to represent Leicestershire. In five first-class matches he scored 295 runs at an average of 42.14, including a highest score of 164,[30] and took 11 wickets at an average of 46.45;[31] Afridi also played 11 one day matches for the club, scoring 481 runs at an average of 40.08[32] and taking 18 wickets at 24.04.[33] His highest score of 95 came from 58 balls in a semi-final of the C&G Trophy to help Leicestershire beat Lancashire by seven wickets.[34] Derbyshire County Cricket Club signed Afridi to play for them in the first two months of the 2003 English cricket season.[35] In June 2004 Afridi signed with English county side Kent to play for them in three Twenty20 matches and one Totesport League match.[36]
An innings-by-innings breakdown of Afridi's Test match batting career up to 30 December 2007, showing runs scored (red bars) and the average of the last ten innings (blue line)
Afridi made his presence felt in the third Test against India in March 2005, scoring a quick-fire second-innings half-century and taking five wickets in the match (including Tendulkar twice) to help Pakistan to win the game and register a series draw.[37] In April Afridi struck what at the time was the equal second-fastest century in ODIs; he reached 100 off 45 deliveries against India, sharing the record with West Indian Brian Lara.[38] Afridi was more consistent with his batting and bowling throughout 2005, starting with the tours of India and West Indies and through to the England tour. The Pakistani coach Bob Woolmer helped Afridi to reach a fuller potential by improving his shot selection and giving him free rein over his batting attitude.
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