Afridi: Future is bright for Pakistan

Talismanic Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi said yesterday the new chairman of the nation’s cricket board gave hope to the embattled cricket side and took a swipe at the “old man” he replaced. Afridi came out of international retirement last week after banker Zaka Ashraf was appointed chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), replacing Ijaz Butt—a long-time rival of the former one-day captain. “The new chairman is impressive. He has run a lot of companies, so he knows how to manage people and I hope it will be a good change for Pakistani cricket,” the 31-year-old, nicknamed “Boom Boom” for his attacking batting style, told AFP in Hong Kong. “Ijaz Butt was poor during his tenure. If you look at the things that happened in his time it is clear he didn’t do a good job. I think he needs to have some rest—he is in his seventies—he is an old man.” Afridi announced his retirement from international cricket after being dumped as one-day captain following a row over selection with team coach Waqar Younis in May.