"Maybe this ends up being my last PSL" - Shahid Afridi stirs up retirement talks ahead of upcoming season
Former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has suggested that he could potentially bid adieu to cricket after the upcoming season in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). He represents the Multam Sultans in the competition but wishes to represent Quetta Gladiators, this time around.
Afridi last represented Pakistan over three years ago and has represented numerous franchises across competitions around the world. In the initial editions of the PSL, he played for Peshawar Zalmi, winning the title in the second season.
He then switched to the Karachi Kings for a single season before landing with his current team. Multan Sultan is the defending champion, but Afridi could not be part of the UAE leg of the competition due to a back injury. His PSL career has primarily been highlighted with his bowling, where he has managed to scalp 44 wickets in 50 matches. While his batting skills have arguably waned over the years, he still maintains an exuberant strike rate of 153.46.
The veteran all-rounder expressed his desire to play for a new franchise while speaking to reporters. He said:
"Maybe this ends up being my last PSL. I would like to play for Quetta Gladiators this season, provided Multan allow me to leave. If Nadeem Omar and Quetta's owners want to have me, I would love to represent them."
PSL to take place in the January- February window, Afridi still a part of Multan Sultans
After the coronavirus has impacted the previous two editions of the competition, PSL will be hoping to host the tournament without any hassles. While it was initially slated to take place in the April-May window, it was eventually preponed to the January-February window to avoid a potential clash with the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The seventh edition of the tournament will be contested across two venues in the form of Lahore and Karachi. Pakistan is also working to host Australia for a full-fledged tour, which further prompted them to shift the tournament dates.