(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Shahid Afridi, the box office trailblazer of Pakistan white ball cricket, believes his“unpredictable” nation can summon the spirit of 2009 and win a second T20 World Cup.
Afridi was man of the match in a nail-biting seven-run semi-final win over South Africa in the tournament 12 years ago where he made 51.
He then starred again in the eight-wicket rout of Sri Lanka in the final at Lord's where he smashed an undefeated 54.
Pakistan's victory came just three months after the terror attack on the Sri Lanka team in Lahore, an incident which sparked a shutdown of international cricket in the country.“We had that issue of the Sri Lanka attacks on our minds,” Afridi told AFP.
“The whole nation was disappointed and frustrated so that win was very much needed.
“The win gave the whole nation happiness and some unforgettable moments.”
Afridi famously stormed onto the scene in 1996 when he broke the record for the fastest century in ODI cricket, reaching his hundred from 37 balls. It was a record which stood until 2014.
Afridi, who played 99 T20 Internationals for Pakistan, thinks recent setbacks can again inspire Babar Azam's team in the 2021 T20 showpiece. A month before the mega-event, head coach Misbah
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