Afridi blames loss on batsmen

Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi complimented his bowlers for limiting the West Indies total but blamed the loss on the batsmen in their inaugural Twenty20 international here on Thursday.

Umar Akmal topscored with a run-a-ball 41 but West Indies were in control throughout before a feisty, unbeaten 21 from Saeed Ajmal gave Pakistan late hope as they were restricted to 143 for nine in their 20 overs, chasing 151 for victory at the Beausejour Cricket Ground.

“I think the pitch was good for batsmen, and I don’t know why we missed this opportunity to win this match,” said Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi.

“We are not building any partnerships. This is what has been missing for us for a few months. Bishoo bowled really well, and all of their bowlers delivered in the right areas.”

Pakistan’s reply started badly when they lost both openers inside the first four overs and the visitors’ batting was undermined chiefly by leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo, whose four wickets for 17 runs from his allotted four overs earned him the man-of-the-match award.

West Indies captain Darren Sammy was thrilled by the victory in front of his fellow St. Lucians.

“We wanted to start off on a winning note. It shows the preparation we have been putting in at the camp in Barbados and here in St Lucia,” Sammy said. “The guys went out there and played as a team and we came out victorious.

“That was a good start for us and we’re just looking to improve coming into the one-day series.”

The opening One-day International of the five-match series between the teams is at the same venue on Saturday.

Shahid Afridi rules out returning to Test cricket

Pakistan’s limited-overs captain Shahid Afridi has made it clear that he will never return to Test cricket- the longest format of the game that he had quit last year. Afridi was initially installed as Pakistan’s captain for all three formats last year after he came out of his Test retirement to lead the team against Australia in England last summer, but retired from Test cricket again after Pakistan suffered a heavy defeat against the Aussies at Lord’s in the opening Test.
Some experts, including former Pakistan captain Imran Khan, wanted Afridi to lead the national team in all three formats again.
“I don’t intend to return to Test cricket because I think I am not the best choice for this format,” The News quoted Afridi, as saying.
The flamboyant allrounder, who failed miserably with the bat in the recently concluded World Cup, said that he would focus on getting some runs in the upcoming West Indies tour.

“I will really work hard to improve my batting because it has been pretty bad for quite some time,” he said.
“Even my daughter has started calling me Baba Boom Boom Out because of my poor batting performance,” he added.

Afridi says anti-India comments 'out of context'

Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi said on Tuesday his derogatory remarks about Indians and the Indian media had been taken out of context as he sought to counter anger over the comments.
The World Cup skipper had praised Pakistan's media for being "100 times better" than India's in a Pakistani TV show aired on Sunday, and said that Indians did not have "big and clean hearts" like Pakistani Muslims.
The comments shocked fans in India, who had praised his efforts during the World Cup to promote harmony between two estranged neighbours whose diplomatic relations are fraught with tension.
Pakistan lost to India in the competition's semi-final in a much-hyped game that was attended by the leaders of both countries, in an event hailed as "cricket diplomacy". India then beat Sri Lanka in Saturday's final.
"I have enjoyed my cricket in India and I love Indian people," Afridi told India's NDTV channel in an interview aired on Tuesday.
"Don't take my comments negatively. I have always got a lot of love and affection from Indian fans.