'Jealous' Afridi wants Pakistan berth back ahead of West Indies tour
Maverick 33-year-old all-rounder continues to consider himself a match-winner and says he can't be in form if he is out of the team.
Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi hopes that feeling of 'professional jealousy' can help him strive harder for a recall to the national side, ahead of the tour to West Indies, starting mid-July. The 33-year-old was dropped from the team after a lackluster ODI series in South Africa in March.
Afridi had an average of 31.50 from four innings in South Africa earlier this year and went wicket-less in the ODI series that Pakistan lost 2-3. Pakistan will now travel to the West Indies for a 5-ODI and 2-T20I series starting July 14. And, Afridi continues to consider himself a match-winner.
"I think I am still better than lots of players; there should be professional jealousy in me. I know how important my performance is as a senior player for the team. You can't judge a player based only on Twenty20 performance," he told reporters in Lahore.
With over 7000 runs in ODI cricket, Afridi - also called Boom Boom for his aggressive demeanour with the bat - wants to continue playing in the two shorter formats of the game. And his recent shoddy showing is hardly a deterrent.
"Poor form doesn't really reflect that a player is at the wrong side of his game," he said. "Those players who are around with the team for years and are also match-winners should be kept with the team to boost their confidence," Afridi said.
For Afridi, attack has always been the best defence, it seems. Update: Afridi is squad for West Indies tour. (Read here)