Shahid Afridi receives flak over ‘biased’ all-time XI

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Former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has received considerable amount of flak, after Lord’s Cricket Ground’s official YouTube account revealed his all-time XI.

Afridi, popularly known as ‘Boom Boom’ among his fans, made some surprising choices while forming the team.

The 40-year-old picked five Pakistan players in his lineup, which included elegant opener Saeed Anwar, batting great Inzamamul Haq, wicketkeeper-batsman Rashid Latif and legendary fast-bowling duo of Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar.    

His side also included four Australian players, Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting, Glen McGrath and Shane Warne, and one each from South Africa, Jacques Kallis, and India, Sachin Tendulkar.

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Some of the users on YouTube were not pleased with his choices, especially on having two wicketkeepers, Gilchrist and Latif, in the same XI. 

“What’s the point of having 2 keepers in the team?” one user said.

“In place of Rashid Latif you can chose other batsman like Sir Viv Richards, wicketkeeper already you have a Gilly [Gilchrist],” another user said.

“Sorry to say, when you have Adam Gilchrist in your team then why Rashid Latif as a wicketkeeper!! Such a biased selection by a world class player,” one user strongly questioned Afridi’s selection.

One user also termed Afridi’s XI as weird by stating: “5 Pakistan players, 4 Australian players and one player from India and South Africa...What about West Indies, New Zealand, England, not a single player? I know it’s his choice to pick but its quiet weird World XI.”

One user also reminded Afridi about Indian skipper Virat Kohli and South Africa pacer Dale Steyn.

“I don’t know why people didn’t pick Virat Kohli and I’m so surprised for Steyn because nobody is giving him a chance in their team,” another user said.

While one user was left confused by the XI, saying: “If Gilchrist is opening then it must be an ODI XI. But Sachin at 4 and Kallis at 6 is what you will see on a Test XI.  Confusing. Why is Rashid Latif there when you have Gilchrist? Also Waqar Younis over Shoaib any day of the week.”

Shahid Afridi's all-time XI:

Saeed Anwar, Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting, Sachin Tendulkar, Inzamamul Haq, Jacques Kallis, Rashid Latif (wk), Wasim Akram, Glenn Mcgrath, Shoaib Akhtar, Shane Warne