KARACHI: Flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi has said Pakistan would face a big challenge of switching over to Test cricket and adjusting to the
Sri Lankan conditions after their month-long stint in the cold English conditions during the Twenty20 World Cup.

"The series in Sri Lanka would not be easy at all it will be a big challenge for our players to make successful adjustment from T20 cricket to Tests as well the different weather conditions," Afridi said.

Afridi won the man of the match awards in the World Cup semi-finals and final with his allround performance and he said he wants to continue the same form in Sri Lanka.

However, the 29-year-old said he has decided to skip the Test series and concentrate on the One-day and T20 format of the game because he felt he was better at those.

"As it is I have not played too much Test cricket in last few years so I wanted to take a rest and prepare for the One-dayers in Sri Lanka," he added.

With Younus Khan announcing his retirement from twenty20 cricket, Afridi's is tipped as the next captain for the shortest version of the game but the right-handed batsman said he is not thinking about it now.

"I have never run after the captaincy. Just playing for Pakistan and seeing it win is a big enough bonus for me," Afridi said.

"I am not thinking about the captaincy at this stage. I have just started training for the One-day series in Sri Lanka," he added.

Afridi, who starred in Pakistan's win in the Twenty World Cup in England, also complained about the crammed international schedule.

"The players hardly got three days to rest and enjoy the victory with their fans before they had to fly to Sri Lanka because of the tight international scheduling these days," he said.

Afridi also felt there was a need to be careful with planning of T20 matches so that people don't lose interest in it the game.


Adjusting to Lankan condition is a challenge: Afridi *-*-*-*News*-*-*-*News*-*-*-*Cricket on Times of India

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PAKISTAN T20 WORLD CUP CHAMPIONS 2009

I don't get it..why does too many T20 cricket makes the people lose their interest in the game when a soccer match takes only half of the time a T20 match takes and still is played in masses over a year...with all the Leagues, National Cups, Champions League, Confederation Cup, The Euro, World Cup etc.

I really don't get it..too much T20 cricket wouldn't harm T20 because it sets the standard for cricket in terms of duration. The majority of Cricket fans can't watch all the One Dayers which take 9 hours..and definitely not the 20 Test matches we are going to play until the end of 2010.

Just my 2 cents..

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[Yaad rakho yaaro: "Shahid Afridi, the most unique player in the world."]

Originally Posted by cricketkajosh

KARACHI: Flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi

For the first time I would agree with this crown..

Originally Posted by cricketkajosh

"I have never run after the captaincy.

Yaar lala, aab jhoot tou na bolo..

Originally Posted by cricketkajosh

Afridi, who starred in Pakistan's win in the Twenty World Cup in England, also complained about the crammed international schedule.

Oo bhai...for the last two years you cricketers were sitting home getting paid for nothing...now the fans need to see the action....

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Originally Posted by RealPk

I really don't get it..too much T20 cricket wouldn't harm T20 because it sets the standard for cricket in terms of duration. The majority of Cricket fans can't watch all the One Dayers which take 9 hours..and definitely not the 20 Test matches we are going to play until the end of 2010.

May be he was talking about the T20WC that is to be played within months

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“Better to die on one's feet than to live on one's knees” --Dolores Ibárruri

Originally Posted by Kai_Fr

May be he was talking about the T20WC that is to be played within months

The T20 WC for next year and the ones after the next are already planned for 2010, 2012, 2014....

"Afridi also felt there was a need to be careful with planning of T20 matches so that people don't lose interest in it the game."

He is definitely not meaning the WC...he is clearly meaning the T20's which are scheduled along with ODI's and Tests...

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[Yaad rakho yaaro: "Shahid Afridi, the most unique player in the world."]

Originally Posted by RealPk

I don't get it..why does too many T20 cricket makes the people lose their interest in the game when a soccer match takes only half of the time a T20 match takes and still is played in masses over a year...with all the Leagues, National Cups, Champions League, Confederation Cup, The Euro, World Cup etc. I really don't get it..too much T20 cricket wouldn't harm T20 because it sets the standard for cricket in terms of duration. The majority of Cricket fans can't watch all the One Dayers which take 9 hours..and definitely not the 20 Test matches we are going to play until the end of 2010. Just my 2 cents..

waah kitni bari baat keh di aapne bhai

Originally Posted by boney_g

waah kitni bari baat keh di aapne bhai

yeah he's RealPk, the one who's always right, right from the start and he would not mind remembering it to you over, and over

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“Better to die on one's feet than to live on one's knees” --Dolores Ibárruri

another thread down to waste.

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By far the biggest p***y I have ever come across = a certain moderator on PM.

He has a point, these t20's at the end of series are pointless sometimes. They need to make them into thier own series instead of playing one random game.

Originally Posted by Kai_Fr

yeah he's RealPk, the one who's always right, right from the start and he would not mind remembering it to you over, and over

Truth is bitter my friend..at least have the courage that you were totally wrong with your post rather than replying in such a rubbish and poor way.

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[Yaad rakho yaaro: "Shahid Afridi, the most unique player in the world."]

Afridi doenst want to play tests coz hes not as effective as he is in ODIs and T20 format when batsman are after you, its quite the opposite in test matches where bowlers have to go after the batsman ... batting wise, he doesnot have the patience, so a wise decision for him to skip test matches and concerntrate on T20 and ODIs which migt be real cricket for him..

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Originally Posted by SRK77

Afridi doenst want to play tests coz hes not as effective as he is in ODIs and T20 format when batsman are after you, its quite the opposite in test matches where bowlers have to go after the batsman ... batting wise, he doesnot have the patience, so a wise decision for him to skip test matches and concerntrate on T20 and ODIs which migt be real cricket for him..

SRK77, just for your information: He only wanted some rest for this Test match series..he didn't retire from Test cricket. He just wanted some rest after the Aussies series and T20 WC.

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[Yaad rakho yaaro: "Shahid Afridi, the most unique player in the world."]

Originally Posted by RealPk

SRK77, just for your information: He only wanted some rest for this Test match series..he didn't retire from Test cricket. He just wanted some rest after the Aussies series and T20 WC.

the thing is, he cant play test matches, if he wanted to take rest, he might as well have skipped ODIs and T20s, but i guess ODIs and T20s are the real cricket for him, anyways, its upto him, and its actually wise of him, hes not as effective in tests as in ODIs and T20s

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Originally Posted by SRK77

the thing is, he cant play test matches, if he wanted to take rest, he might as well have skipped ODIs and T20s, but i guess ODIs and T20s are the real cricket for him, anyways, its upto him, and its actually wise of him, hes not as effective in tests as in ODIs and T20s

Actually you really need to inform yourself before talking that big about something you are not sure about..Just go and watch his interview concerning the reason of his rest. Just a hint: He was saying something about only a 3 day rest and straight flight to Sri Lanka for another series..just guess which series comes first..? Definitely not ODIs or T20s.

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[Yaad rakho yaaro: "Shahid Afridi, the most unique player in the world."]

Also, Afridis record so far in Test Cricket is superb...37 average at a strike rate of 86 and a strike rate of 65 in bowling which is better than Kaneria..
This can change...but this is how it is at the moment...

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[Yaad rakho yaaro: "Shahid Afridi, the most unique player in the world."]