Embattled Afridi indicates he would retire after WT20

Dejected Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi gave clear indications that he would retire from the shortest format after his team’s campaign ends in the ongoing ICC World Twenty20.

After suffering a 22-run defeat to New Zealand in a crucial World T20 match here last night, Afridi said the upcoming game against Australia could be his last. “That (the match against Australia) could be my last,” Afridi said at the post-match presentation ceremony.

The PCB had on Tuesday said that the board had reached an understanding with Afridi that he will retire after the tournament.

Disappointment was writ large on Afridi’s face even as he congratulated New Zealand.

“The bowlers bowled well in the middle, we played well in the first six but after that we didn’t. Easily we could have scored more than six but we didn’t.

“We tried to hit the ball, tried to go for the boundary and we played a lot of dot balls. We still keep repeating the same mistakes, every game we are making the mistakes. We have to forget this game and focus on Australia,” Afridi said.

Their loss in two out of three games have dampened Pakistan’s prospects of securing a last-four berth in the mega-event.