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Why Afridi deserves a befitting farewell

No cricketer gets a louder roar than Shahid Khan Afridi when he walks out to the crease with the bat or when he flexes his arms to bowl. It would be unfair to not say that he’s one of the biggest crowd pullers in the cricketing world, and continues to be.

The thirty-seven-years-old allrounder has recently insisted that a proper farewell is his right and that the Pakistan Cricket Board should take into account that he has done a lot for cricket in the country and deserves a befitting farewell.

Some are calling this request ‘childish’, others say it’s a publicity stunt and few have even gone to the extent of claiming that he’s financially ravenous.

The former captain of the national team has been a brand ambassador for countless huge names and yet his face value fetches the highest price.

In addition to that, the cost of exhibiting his skills at various leagues around the world clearly adds a lot to his deep pockets.

This indicates he sincerely wants to play a farewell match bidding goodbye to cricket.

A 37 ball 100 at a tender age of 17, phenomenal performances that helped Pakistan obtain the 2009 World T20 title and numerous power hitting at several occasions has helped Green Shirts snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

Comprehensively, this means one international match has nothing to do with any publicity stunt.

Some who are calling his wish as childish need to understand that a person who has given two decades of his life to a sport has every right to ask for a graceful end. A sense of realization should be there among the people that it’s never easy for a sportsman who have breathed sports all his life give up his breathing all of a sudden.

A sense of realization should be there among the people that it’s never easy for a sportsman who have breathed sports all his life give up his breathing all of a sudden.

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Who can forget this moment?

Shahid Afirdi is asking for one match where he can lift the bat to the crowd and finally say goodbye. He wants to do it with pride. He is not hesitant in asking the board for it as it’s his right.

He wants to set a precedent for the younger players that after years of dedicating their life to the sport, they will be given alluring farewells.

I personally don’t see anything wrong in it. Why the mocking, gossiping and conspiracy theories?

According to Do Something.Org in 2015, Afridi was the only Pakistani to be named in the list of top 20 charitable athletes in the world along with sporting personalities such as Cristiano Ronaldo, John Cena amongst others.

It’s about time Pakistan Cricket Board realizes that letting down one of its most remarkable players will not go down well in time. The youngsters in the team will always have a fear that one day their contributions will be taken for granted.

This fear needs to be revoked by setting a precedent and honouring Shahid Afridi with a glorious farewell.

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