Pakistan one-day captain Shahid Afridi hinted at a return to Test cricket on Friday as the team returned from what he called the “most difficult” tour of his career in England.
The tour ended Wednesday with England taking the one-day series 3-2 after an Afridi-led Pakistani fightback had levelled the series. Pakistan also lost the Test series, 3-1.
“The best part of the whole tour was that the players showed unity even in difficult times and gave a good fight in the one-day series against England,” Afridi told a scrum of reporters outside Karachi airport.
“I will think about it and if the team needs it, I may consider playing the Test series against South Africa,” added the explosive all-rounder.
After a four-year break, Afridi came out of Test retirement this summer only to quit after one game when Australia pummelled Pakistan by
150 runs at Lord’s in July.
Allegations of spot-fixing in a Test against England then engulfed Test captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif. All three were questioned by British police and returned home early to Pakistan.
“It was tough because of the controversies and became very difficult to cope with, because every time we went out of the hotel people passed remarks against us,” Afridi said.
“Because of the controversies on the tour, it was the most difficult tour of my 14-year career.”
Pakistan take on South Africa in two Twenty20 and five one-day matches and two Tests in the United Arab Emirates in a neutral-venue series starting late next month. |
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