'Legend' Shahid Afridi is a superstar: Imran Tahir

South Africa’s leg-spinner Imran Tahir, in an exclusive interview with Cricket Pakistan, praised Pakistan’s former all-rounder Shahid Afridi as a superstar and a legend for his heroic efforts in the field throughout his illustrious career.

The 40-year-old revealed that the entire Multan Sultans side was enjoying Afridi’s presence on the field.

“Shahid Afridi is a superstar and a legend in my eyes along with the rest of the world. He has achieved a lot by his heroics in the field. I am personally very proud of his achievements as I have played with him for Hampshire. His presence in the team in itself is a big thing. He is batting and bowling really well. He has always taken some unbelievable catches in the field. This shows that he is fit and enjoying his game while we are enjoying his presence in the side,” said Tahir.

Tahir revealed that most foreign players shared the sentiment that the Habib Bank Limited (HBL) Pakistan Super League (PSL) is one of the toughest leagues in the world today.

“I am very happy to be here [in Pakistan], because my family has not had many opportunities to see me perform live. This is my second time I am here which is a source of happiness for me and my family. I came here with the world XI previously,” he said. “Your own brand will always have more value than anything else. Shifting cricket from Dubai to Pakistan is a big step for the country. All players participating in the PSL believe that it is one of the toughest leagues in the world because of the high quality of cricket being played. You have to be at the top of your game. Cricket fever has gripped the country and it is a great experience.”

The leg-spinner stated that foreign players felt safe in Pakistan and were enjoying their stay in the country.

“I have never felt unsafe in Pakistan. I however have a different feeling than other foreign players. The foreign players talk very highly of this league and its security. They are enjoying their stay here,” he said.

Tahir thanked the people of Multan for their support while expressing hope that his side would continue to build on their impressive performances in the HBL PSL 5.

“I would like to thank the people of Multan because we received full houses in almost every game. The ground in Multan suited our team. The home advantage was really good for us because of our home crowds. Another plus is that we gel very well together as a team. This has helped us achieve good results,” he said.

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The leg-spinner praised the performance and leadership of Multan Sultans’ young captain Shan Masood, who has led his side at the top of the points table in the HBL PSL 5.

“I have been asked frequently about Shan Masood and his captaincy. When you are somewhere for the first time you have to find your way around. Masood is a young captain and this is a part of his life. He has to learn from this experience. He has done really well so far. You can look at his batting which has been really good. This means that he does not take too much pressure. I think he has done a great job for himself and the team,” he concluded.