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29 March 2024

Pakistan's friend or foe: Afridi goes boom-boom on 'tainted' Salman Butt

The Pakistan cricket team has arrived in India for a bilateral series. (FILE)

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By Staff

Pakistan's flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi has lashed out at disgraced former captain Salman Butt for criticising his performance in the World Twenty20 in a TV show.

Afridi was dismayed that a player who "tainted the name of the country" should have been hired as an expert commentator.

"I think the media should be careful while hiring experts and only hire those of clean background," Afridi said referring to Butt who was convicted in a spot-fixing scandal that rocked the sport two years ago.

Butt had called Afridi a disruptive force in Pakistan cricket and criticised his World T20 performance, the Press Trust of India reported.

"The player who tainted the name of the country in the cricketing world and is responsible for destroying a great talent like M Aamir should be ashamed to even come in front of the nation," Afridi said.

"When such experts speak they don't have weight in their words and no one takes them seriously. Media houses should only hire people with a clean background to give their expert opinion," he added.

He shrugged off criticism of his own dip in form and dismissed reports he was contemplated retirement.

"I am disappointed at not being able to live up to the expectations of my supporters but every cricketer goes through such a time. I am not one to run away from challenges as I am a fighter and I will comeback," he said.

"I have been trying hard to perform well but at times it is very hard and luck also plays a big part in such situations," he added.