Game Changer: Shocking Revelations in Shahid Afridi’s Biography

Star all-rounder, Shahid Afridi’s biography – Game Changer – has finally hit the market and it has made some shocking revelations.

Let’s have a look at some of the highlights of his book.

Javed Miandad

The biggest of them all is his jab at former captain Javed Miandad. Afridi called Miandad a legend but a ‘small man’, and that he hated his batting style. After scoring a test century in India, he was asked to praise Miandad at the presentation ceremony, Afridi claims.

He wasn’t allowed to practice with the team ahead of the match in Chennai as Miandad wanted to field Asif Mujtaba.

Shoaib Malik & Waqar Younis

Boom Boom also termed Shoaib Malik unfit for captaincy. The then coach, Waqar Younis lobbied against him to make Malik the captain, says Game Changer.

Regarding the 2003 World Cup campaign, Afridi said that Waqar Younis was a terrible captain and that he was responsible for the nightmarish campaign as he couldn’t hold the team together. At that time, most of the team players wanted Wasim Akram to be the captain and there was too much politics involved.

Chairman of the PCB, Lt Gen. Tauqir Zia, sided with Waqar and made him the captain, however, the team didn’t perform well despite being a good side on paper.

Age

The former captain revealed that he was 19 years old when he debuted for Pakistan, however, his documented age was 16.

I was just nineteen, and not sixteen like they claim. I was born in 1975. So, yes, the authorities stated my age incorrectly.

Aamer Sohail

Talking about Aamer Sohail, who was the captain when Afridi made his debut, he said something shocking on the field in his first innings when he scored a few boundaries early in the innings.

I know you’ve fixed this match with Wasim Akram. I know what you’re up to, Afridi.

After the match, Aamer talked to him again, saying:

Stay on my side. Join me. I will connect you with the right people. I can help you run Pakistan cricket.

Spot-Fixing Saga

Coming to the spot-fixing scandal in 2010, Afridi revealed that he already knew that it was going to happen. Despite informing the Manager Yawar Saeed, no action was taken. Team management was either non-serious or worried and this prompted him to give up the captaincy. Salman Butt was appointed in his place.

Excerpts taken from Game Changer.

Ref, ProPakistani