Shahid Afridi to retire after World T20

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 on Tuesday, 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 Pakistan Cricket Board 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.

‘Groupism in team responsible behind Pak’s poor show’

Meanwhile, fact-finding committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board, which is probing the national team’s poor show in the Asia Cup, has been tasked to find out whether there was any groupism in the side or if any player has under-performed during the World T20.

According to a highly-placed source in the PCB, the committee will talk to Afridi, head coach Waqar Younis, manager Intikhab Alam and some players in the World T20 squad when the team return.

“The committee will also talk to the other members of the support staff including the security manager, assistant coach and batting coach Grant Flower,” a source said.