Shahid Afridi says next PSL might be his last, would love to play for Quetta Gladiators

By
Faizan Lakhani
Former Pakistani cricket captain Shahid Afridi speaking at an event. — AFP/File
Former Pakistani cricket captain Shahid Afridi speaking at an event. — AFP/File

Former Pakistani cricket captain Shahid Afridi said Monday the next Pakistan Super League (PSL) might be his last and he would love to play for Quetta Gladiators.

Quetta Gladiators owner Nadeem Omar had last week said that Afridi told him that he would join his PSL franchise for the seventh season of the tournament set to take place in 2022.

Omar said former Pakistan skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed is the incumbent captain, but if he were to voluntarily step down, "we can appoint Afridi in his place".

Meanwhile, speaking to the media in Karachi and sharing why he had been playing limited cricket, Afridi said: "It is very difficult for players to practice within the biosecure bubble." 

"I am still playing because of my fans."

Speaking about the country's cricketing matters, he said that in order to change a system, merely swapping people is not enough, indicating the appointment of Ramiz Raja as a member of the Board of Governors.

Raja is also set to become the next PCB chairman, as he was appointed to the Board of Governors by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

"Change is brought at grassroots levels," he said.

As the situation in the neighbouring war-torn country is changing, Afridi shared his opinion about the future of cricket in Afghanistan and said that the "Taliban support cricket."

The former skipper said that as against the past, matters pertaining to the Taliban rule in Afghanistan are "positive" this time.

Regarding the Kashmir Premier League, Afridi said that there was a time when all the talent used to emerge from Karachi but now KPL is bringing all the talent to the fore.

"There is a dearth of facilities when it comes to cricket, therefore, businessmen should cooperate to promote cricket.