As we know the name Shahid Khan Afridi polarises opinion amongst cricket fans like no other. Some swear that he's the messiah of Pakistan cricket, whilst others think he's been lucky to play as many games as he has for a nation that has produced more talented cricketers than any in history.

Whenever I think about Afridi, I visualize him tonking a bowler out of the ground, or a batsman getting bowled by trying to cut a ball that shouldn't be cut. That signature pose with arms aloft is the stuff of dreams if you're a Pakistani fan.

My question is, where does he rank among the ODI bowlers? He again polarises opinion in this regard. Some feel he's good enough to get into a side on his bowling ability alone, whilst others think he doesn't quite cut it. Personally, I think as a player he is serviceable but I'm not sure I'd have him in a side on his bowling alone even in the current Pakistani side, let alone an all time Pakistani 11.

His overall numbers are here :

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/conte...yer/42639.html

His numbers against the top 8 sides are here (see where he stacks up against the other spinners in ODIs):

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/eng...s;type=bowling

This list has already been posted in one of the other threads and I must admit I did revise my opinion of him a tad after I looked at this. Have a look at this:


1) Carl Hooper 188 wickets @ 35.65, SR 49.0
2) Ravi Shastri 126 wickets @ 35.87, SR 50.7
3) Jayasuriya 276 wickets @ 37.60, SR 46.5
4) Aravinda De Silva 100 wickets @ 38.12, SR 46.8
5) Shahid Afridi 263 wickets @ 38.57, SR 48.9
6) Chris Gayle 118 wickets @ 39.55, SR 47.2
7) Yuvraj Singh 89 wickets @ 39.79, SR 46.7

Notice how the others are basically in the side for their batting (and it may be pertinent to add that they were/are significantly better batsmen than Afridi). In fact, the others on that list would probably be included in the part timers category by most.

To reiterate I think Afridi as a whole package is a serviceable player in an ODI side and for an all too brief period may have merited selection on bowling ability alone; but in the grand scheme of things he hasn't been too flash. I feel the fastest hundred quite possibly hindered his progress and desire to be a bowler. With a better temperament he may have well ended up an ODI great, but as it is he will only go down as an entertaining batsman and a bowler who wouldn't find himself out of place in the company of Gayle, Yuvraj, Jayasuriya et al. What do you think?

Discuss!