Shoaib Akhtar hails Afridi for his all-round role

• Afridi said that the Rawalpindi Express always threatened batsmen but was joking around when the pitch in that fixture became too flat for bowlers to overcome the pain.

ISLAMABAD: Former speedster Shoaib Akhtar said that swashbuckling all-rounder Shahid Khan Afridi was always at an advantage as he would switch his roles according to the requirement during matches.

Afridi went down the memory lane, recalling a Test match against traditional rivals India in Lahore in 2006 and said that the Rawalpindi Express always threatened batsmen but was joking around when the pitch in that fixture became too flat for bowlers to overcome the pain.

“Great memories, this was I believe after one of my favourite Test inns in Lahore against India in 2006, Shoaib was always a threat for batsmen but this was a very flat wicket and bowlers were left to share jokes to overcome their pain,” Afridi tweeted.

Akhtar retweeted Afridi’s post, stating that the all-rounder could call himself a batsman or a bowler whenever he wanted. “You were always at an advantage. Calling yourself a bowler when you wanted and a batsman when you wanted.

“Surely a batsman in this one as you scored a 100.

The Test series opener in Lahore ended in draw as Pakistan declared their first innings at 679-7 with Mohammad Yousaf, Younis Khan, Afridi and Kamran Akmal hammering tons.

India in reply scored 410-1 in their first innings with Virender Sehwag scoring 254 and Rahul Dravid unbeaten 128.

Afridi scored another century in the second Test in Faisalabad, hitting brisk 156 runs off just 128 balls that included 20 boundaries and six towering sixes.

That match also ended in draw. Pakistan, led by Inzamam-ul-Haq pulled off a superb win in the final Test in Karachi to take the series 1-0.