A matter of stats: Is Afridi a ‘pathetic’ captain?

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“Shahid Afridi is Pakistan’s worst T20 captain ever,” reads a table current on social media.

It has stirred a good discussion within the wake of Pakistan's 2-1 loss to New island last week.

Of course stats do not lie associate degreed it's arduous to not support an argument that is predicated on numbers. And queries, ‘pathetic’ or not, should be asked. however tables and numbers should be assessed objectively.


In the table on the proper, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Younis Khan, and Misbah-ul-Haq will be taken out of the reckoning considering that they need not captained in enough games. Shoaib Malik's record is basically inclined considering seven out of his twelve wins were in matches against Asian nation (3), African country (1), European nation (1), Canada (1), and Republic of Kenya (1). Mohammed Hafeez was positively a really sensible captain; arguably the most effective T20 captain Asian nation has had.

The ‘Professor’, no doubt, ought to have continuing for extended. His resignation following Asian nation's exit from the 2014 World T20 was one in all the foremost altruistic acts we've witnessed in Pakistan cricket.

Sure, Afridi has not been pretty much as good a captain. however his figures aren't rubbish either. underneath his spot, Asian nation has won the maximum amount as they need lost; alright lost somewhat a lot of however simply terribly slightly.

When compared to international captains United Nations agency have captained in a minimum of ten T20 Internationals, Afridi's record is healthier than several together with Ricky Ponting, Chris Gayle, and Stuart Broad. it's additionally not terribly completely different from the record of AB DE Villiers, George Bailey, Brendon McCullum, and therefore the one and solely MS Dhoni.

Before jumping to conclusions like “Afridi is Pakistan's worst T20 captain”, one should additionally realise that T20s area unit terribly completely different from ODIs and Tests.


While associate degree smart captain with a robust team can win ODIs and Tests oftentimes, a similar isn't the case with T20s. the sport is thus short that a number of deliveries amendment the course of the complete match. that's why one witnesses such a lot of upsets in T20s, as compared to ODIs and Tests. The format is very unpredictable and over the long run majority of the groups have Win:Loss records near 1:1.

The same is that the case with captains United Nations agency have LED their groups within the shortest format for an extended time. as a result of the format has not been around for too long, there area unit solely twenty one captains among the ten take a look at taking part in nations United Nations agency have LED in a minimum of fifteen T20 Internationals. several of those captains, together with MS Dhoni, Bailey, McCullum, Vettori, AB DE Villiers, and Afridi have a win proportion within the forty seventh - fifty three vary.

There area unit but a few of captains United Nations agency have LED in additional than twenty five T20s and have win percentages considerably more than five hundredth - Graeme Smith, Paul Collingwood, Mohammed Hafeez, and Darren Sammy.


This clearly indicates that over the long run, a team and a captain, can have a win:loss magnitude relation within the neighborhood of 1:1.

Then why area unit such a lot of folks desirous to have Afridi removed as Pakistan's T20 captain before the globe T20?

He compete associate degree participant role within the solely World T20 that Asian nation won. He was Man of the Match within the semi-final and therefore the final of that tournament. He additionally compete associate degree participant role within the solely different World T20 that Asian nation reached the ultimate of. He was the Player of the Tournament then.

Afridi was the captain the sole different time Asian nation were near taking part in another World T20 final. sadly for the their fans, they saw archangel Hussey.

He has continuously been a serious force in T20 cricket.

He is the leading wicket taker within the world in T20 Internationals. He has one in all the most effective economy rates among the leading wicket takers in T20s. He has won the foremost man of the match awards in T20s within the history of the format.

 

Afridi could be a T20 King.

Let us additionally not forget that it's ne'er knowing amendment the captain thus near a tourney. {pakistan|Pakistan|Islamic Republic of Asian nation|West Pakistan|Asian country|Asian nation} failed to sack Waqar Younis before the 2003 tourney despite Pakistan inquiring a nonstop rut in ODIs underneath him. They failed to sack Misbah before the 2015 tourney albeit Asian nation went through their worst ever innovate their ODI history underneath him.

So yes, Afridi can captain Asian nation at the globe T20.

He has already declared that the globe T20 are his last international outing, having already retired from ODIs, Afridi can wave auf wiedersehen to international cricket once and for all. He has been polarising figure however his career spanning 20 years has been dotted by some actually special performances. the globe T20 is his last probability to shine.



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