Afridi says he is reconsidering retirement from international cricket

In an interview to ESPNcricinfo, Afridi said that he is being pressurized by his family and friends to not hang up his bat from Twenty20 cricket.

“For a while now there is a lot of pressure from my family, a lot of pressure from my friends, including my elders, who say there is no need for me to retire from Twenty20. That is a huge pressure. For now, in truth, I am focusing only on the World Cup. That is a huge challenge for me”, Afridi said.

“First I want to see where Pakistan stand in the World Cup whether I am capable of taking the team forward on the back of my performances. I want to check where I am standing myself. As far as playing goes my fitness is zabardast (awesome). Energy is also there. I can play cricket. But I would be able to tell things clearly after the World Twenty20”, he added.

The prolific cricketer had hinted to from international cricket following the 2016 World Twenty 20 in India.

Afridi has represented Pakistan in all five Twenty20 world cups and played a key role in the team’s triumph back in 2009. He has led the green shirts to 16 victories out of 35 matches.

He led Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in which his team was eliminated by Islamabad United in the third play-off match of the tournament.